Housing Specialist

Family Promise of West Michigan; Grand Rapids (MI); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Family Promise of West Michigan is seeking a Housing Specialist to collaborate with landlords, program participants, and case managers to secure housing for families in our workforce. The role reports to the Director of Housing and involves in-person work at our offices and housing sites in Grand Rapids, with some remote flexibility.

Ideal candidates will have experience with landlords, knowledge of rental assistance programs, and familiarity with the West Michigan housing market, fair housing

Qualifications

• Experience with landlords and housing partners.
• Knowledge of rental assistance programs and tenant rights.
• Familiar with West Michigan rental market and fair housing laws.
• Proficient in customer service and problem-solving in housing contexts.
• Comfort working in a faith-based organization and collaborating with diverse partners.

Responsibilities

• Assist with finding prospective landlord partners and presenting to groups.
• Inspect leased units monthly and complete follow-up documentation.
• Educate participants on tenancy basics, move-in checklists, and housing resources.
• Perform rent reasonableness checks and housing inspections.
• Review rental market, laws, and compliance with landlords and tenants.

Skills

Communication

Independence

Customer Service

Detail Orientation

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Family Promise of West Michigan strives to give parents the hope and encouragement they need to create a better future for their children and end the cycle of homelessness. Through our diversion services, emergency shelters, housing programs, homeownership initiatives, family stabilization, and early childhood services, we have helped more than 2,500 families overcome homelessness and achieve lasting stability.

At Family Promise, our culture is centered on compassion, collaboration, and commitment to families. We value teamwork, integrity, and a solutions-focused approach as we work together to serve our community with excellence and care.

We are seeking a Housing Specialist to join our team. This role works closely with landlords, program participants, case managers, and program managers to find creative solutions to house families.

This positionr eports to the Director of Housing.

Family Promise of West Michigan Core Values:

Has Passion for Mission

Prioritizes Accessibility, Belonging and Community

Is Dedicated to Hospitality

Collaborates Intentionally

Is Hungry, Humble, and Smart

Assumes Good Intent

Strives for Excellence and Sustained Impact

Our Ideal Candidate will get to:

Assist with finding prospective landlord partners by visiting their properties, making presentations to associations and groups, holding landlord recruitment events, etc.

Inspect FPWM leased units monthly and create follow up documentation as needed.

Responsible for education and materials for program participants related to good tenancy, tenant rights, strategies for securing housing, move-in checklists, and other housing related documentation.

Complete rent reasonableness checklists, housing inspections, and other requirements for housing units.

Assist the Director of Housing with reviewing the rental market, rental laws, legal compliance for landlords and tenants, and fair housing.

C reate, maintain, and identify housing inventory with detailed information to assist in matching program participants with housing options that are suitable.

Working with case managers, provide mediation and advocacy with landlords as needed to resolve concerns or problems to help the program participant maintain stable housing.

Create and maintain consistent communication channels with all parties involved in a particular housing situation, including the landlord, tenant, case manager, legal services partner, and other collaborating partners

Work with the Director of Housing to educate staff and community partners on housing solutions.

Schedule maintenance work orders for all Family Promise of West Michigan locations.

Other duties as assigned.

Our Ideal Candidate will have:

Experience with, or an understanding of, work with landlords and other housing partners.

Familiar with the West Michigan rental and housing market.

Knowledge of rental assistance programs, landlord and tenant rights, and fair housing laws.

Possess an understand of property management, landlords, customer service

Has an awareness and understanding of family housing and family homelessness.

Demonstrates comfort in a faith base organization

Must have excellent communication skills, including both written and verbal communications

Must be able to work independently, as well as effectively within a team, with colleagues, volunteers and community members

Detail oriented and able to follow through on projects in a fast-paced, often pressured environment

Must be proficient in Microsoft Work/PowerPoint/Excel

Documents a valid driver’s license.

This position is in-person with the availability to work remotely. Work is performed at Family Promise of West Michigan's administrative building, shelter and housing locations.

Lifting of materials of up to 20 pounds may be necessary and may have to travel between Family Promise shelter locations.

Family Promise of West Michigan offers a robust employee benefit package including health, dental, vision, short-term, and long-term insurance, maternity/paternity leave, 401k plan, and paid time off.

Family Promise of West Michigan is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to recruiting, hiring, compensating, and promoting employees based on their qualifications and experience, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, marital status, familial status, height, or weight.

We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment background verification checks.

Go to http://www.familypromisewm.org/home to learn more about us.