Housing Choice Voucher Specialist

Foothills Regional Housing; Wheat Ridge (CO); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vacation and Sick time

12 Paid Holidays

Retirement plan with employer matches

Job summary

Foothills Regional Housing (FRH) is seeking a Housing Specialist to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in accordance with HUD regulations and FRH policies. You will work with the Voucher Team to determine eligibility, maintain accurate case files, and communicate with landlords and tenants in a courteous manner.

Responsibilities include preparing recertifications, maintaining participant files, determining rent reasonableness, processing landlord payments, and ensuring

Qualifications

• Requires high school diploma or equivalent and two years minimum experience in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
• Requires strong organization, time management, initiative, and attention to detail; able to handle frequent interruptions and work with diverse populations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and organizational skills; ability to exercise independent judgment with limited supervision.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly recertification letters and packets to tenants and landlords.
• Assembles verified income and household information and maintains active participant files.
• Determines rent reasonsableness and negotiates rent with owners.
• Conducts leasing and initiates contracts between owner and housing authority.
• Prepares and posts monthly housing assistance payments to landlords.
• Ensures compliance with HUD, FRH and program rules and regulations.

Skills

Confidentiality

Time management

Organization

Communication

Tenant relations

Data entry

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

FRH HMS Windows

Job description

Description

Foothills Regional Housing \"FRH\" is a prominent real estate developer, manager, and program administrator for affordable housing. FRH is currently looking for a Housing Specialist responsible for working with the Voucher Team to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in accordance with Foothills Regional Housing (FRH), aka: Foothills Regional Housing, HUD, Federal, State, local regulations and policies. Performs a variety of technical compliance duties involving determination of initial and continued eligibility, maintaining accurate case files, and interacting with Landlords and tenants in a courteous and professional manner.

Requirements

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepare monthly recertification letters and packets to tenants and landlords.
• May provide back-up for the Receptionist for lunch and time off.
• Assembles verified income, household information, and maintains active participant files in accordance with the policies and procedures of FRH and HUD’s rules and regulations.
• Assists with maintaining and update archive files, as needed.
• Ability to prepare reports and meet strict deadlines.
• Enters program participant household and income information in database accurately and in a timely manner.
• Determines need for interim rent changes and completes all established and required processing procedures.
• Determines the reasonableness of rent charged, and negotiates rent amounts with owners as needed or when inspector is not available.
• Conducts leasing of families and initiates contracts between the owner and the housing authority.
• Verifies a lease is executed between the landlord and the tenant.
• Processes landlord payments in a timely and efficient manner.
• Maintains working knowledge of program requirements and HUD rules for effective maintenance of programs.
• Prepares and accurately posts monthly housing assistance payments to landlord.
• Monitor appropriate billing of housing assistance payments and other fees to and from other public housing agencies for portability participants.
• Terminates rental assistance to families, when appropriate, for failure to comply with program rules and regulations and conduct Informal Hearings.
• Acts as mediator, when appropriate, in disputes between families and landlords.
• Investigate general complaints from tenants, landlord, and the general public.
• Maintains working knowledge of area resources. Establishes and maintains contact with other human services delivery agencies; informs and refers clients, as appropriate.
• Ability to communicate effectively with attorneys.
• Pursues collection of monies owed by participant or terminated families under repayment agreements with FRH.
• Prepare and present briefing materials to new program participants in a classroom setting, when needed.
• Follows Foothills Regional Housing (FRH), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and all other necessary agency policies, procedures, rules and regulations, where applicable. Must have or acquire a working knowledge of all pertinent regulations applicable to the position within six months of date of hire.
• Performs other duties as assigned

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Treats people with respect and work with integrity and professional ethics, upholding the agency’s value and mission. Representatives the agency in a positive, professional and ethical manner at all times. This specifically includes abiding by all of the ethical rules outlined in the Employee Handbook.
• Attend scheduled meetings with Voucher Manager and other Voucher Team staff to discuss various items of concern and/or interest of both parties. Attend housing meetings outside of the office, workshops, and training sessions.
• Maintains the utmost confidentiality of all applicant and tenant information.
• Must always be a team player and act in a manner that is in the best interest of FRH.
• Uses a time management system and other organizational tools set up by FRH to organize tasks and manage time effectively.
• Adapt well to change in the work environment. Must be able to work with frequent interruptions and respond calmly and professionally to emergency situations.
• Responsible to maintain desk and work area in a neat and clean manner. No information relating to applicants and tenants, including files and computer screens, should be visible to office visitors or left on the desk after work hours.
• Must have the ability to work independently in a shared work environment.
• Minimal of out-of-town travel is required for occasional training seminars.
• Minimal evening or weekend work time required

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Requires high school diploma or equivalent, and two years minimum experience in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
• Requires strong skills in organization, time management, initiative, and attention to detail. Must be able to deal with frequent interruptions and to successfully work with a variety of populations.
• Requires excellent written and verbal communication and organizational skills and the ability to exercise independent judgment and work with limited supervision.
• Proficient in Microsoft Windows and must have or acquire a working knowledge of FRH tenant software (HMS Windows) within three month of date of hire.
• Requires a valid Colorado Drivers License and the ability to be insured at standard rates.
• Criminal background checks are required.

PAY RANGE

$23.24 to $30.19 / hourly

BENEFITS

• Employer pays 100% premium of medical, dental, vision, short-term and long-term disability, and life insurance
• Vacation and Sick time
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Retirement plan, employer matches up to 10% of retirement contributions

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Physical Demands: The position is in an office setting. In the office it is primarily sedentary but requires the ability to move boxes or items weighing a maximum of 20 pounds; positioning oneself to maintain files in filing cabinets; ability to operate personal computers and office equipment; ability to observe documents and record and interpret information; ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange information in these situations.
• Work Environment: Works in a clean, comfortable environment in the office.
• Equipment Used: Frequently uses standard office equipment including but not limited to personal computers, scanners, calculators, printers, telephones, fax, and copy machines.

FRH is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. FRH is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Human Resources at [e-mail].

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of the Employer.