Housing Specialist

Talentify; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority is seeking a Housing Eligibility Specialist to interview applicants, verify income and assets, and determine eligibility for low-income public housing. You will maintain waiting lists, gather supporting documents, and prepare hearing packets.

Proficiency in MS Word/Excel and HUD regulations is expected. The role requires strong data-entry skills, organization, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with responsibilities including income

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Two years of college-level coursework in Business Math, Social Work, Community Relations or Communications or equivalent experience.
• Two+ years in social work or related field with public contact or income/assets evaluation.
• Advanced typing/data-entry skills; proficient with keyboards and calculators.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to stay organized in a fast-paced environment.
• Must enjoy working with numbers; proficient in advanced math concepts.
• Knowledge of HUD regulations and advanced business math.
• Housing specialist certification within one year of employment.
• Proficient in MS Word, Excel, and GroupWise.

Responsibilities

• Complete and maintain accurate client files in On-base or equivalent software.
• Maintain site-based waiting lists and archive monthly.
• Input data into CMHA system accurately and timely.
• Compute rents by entering income to auto-calculate rent and deductions.
• Explain rent determinations to applicants and prepare hearing packets.
• Assist with annual waiting list purge and hard-to-lease units.
• Train/site staff; perform duties as assigned.

Skills

Data entry

Customer service

Communication

Organization

Advanced math

HUD regulations

Word processing

Education

High school diploma

College coursework (Business Math / Social Work / Communications)

Housing specialist certification within 1 year

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

GroupWise

Job description

SUMMARY: This position is responsible for interviewing, investigating and verifying, subject to review, the eligibility of residents in CMHA housing.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Complete and maintain accurate and compliant client files in On-base or equivalent software. (Includes verifications, eligibility, denial, etc.)
• Maintain site based waiting lists for entire agency, archive wait lists monthly, and ensure eligible clients are available. (Includes scheduling appointments etc.)
• Maintain appropriate and accurate notation within the system regarding client status.
• Obtain and verify family composition and employment income, including, but not limited to, collecting and reviewing birth certificates, marriage licenses, social security cards, check stubs and other necessary documentation.
• Obtain criminal backgrounds checks as required.
• Make any other contacts necessary to determine applicant’s eligibility for low-income public housing.
• Interview, and verify those factors mentioned above that are necessary to establish the eligibility of applicants for initial occupancy.
• Accurately and timely input of data into the system.
• Compute rents by entering the income amount on the CMHA system to allow the system to automatically calculate the rent along with the deductions.
• Explain rent determinations to applicants.
• Effectively prepare for CMHA eligibility hearings (Includes preparing hearing packets with necessary documents to substantiate denial of applicant) prior to the hearings.
• Sort wait list daily.
• Represent CMHA in hearings if supervisor is out of the office (as needed basis).
• Assist with annual purge of the waiting list.
• Assist site staff with hard to lease units.
• Train/Assist with monthly training for site staff.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School diploma.
• At least two (2) years of college level course work in Business Math, Social Work, Community Relations or Communication or equivalent experience.
• At least two (2) years experience in social work or related field, which requires contact with the public, or similar work involving evaluation of personal income and other assets.
• Advanced typing/data entry skills and familiarity with the keyboard and calculators.
• Excellent customer services and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to stay organized and the ability to work in a fast paced environment.
• Must enjoy working with numbers and be proficient in advanced mathematical concepts.
• Knowledge of HUD regulations and advanced business math.
• Incumbent must obtain their housing specialist certification within one (1) year of employment
• Proficient knowledge of word processing applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Groupwise).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree with related course work.