Housing Specialist

Samaritan Village, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health and human services agency in New York seeks a Housing Specialist to identify permanent housing for program participants. Responsibilities include conducting housing assessments, coordinating with landlords, and advocating for clients. The ideal candidate has housing experience, a high school diploma, and is willing to travel within the community. This position requires computer literacy and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Six months to one year of comparable housing or real estate experience with DHS.
• Willingness to participate in CPR and First Aid training.
• Experience working with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with landlords and realty agencies.
• Assist clients in finding safe and affordable housing.
• Conduct housing assessments to identify readiness.

Skills

Housing assessment

Client advocacy

Database management

Communication skills

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

EHR

Job description

Overview

Housing Specialists

Everyone Deserves Permanent Housing…

Come Play a Role in Achieving This!

A nationally recognized comprehensive Health and Human Services Agency, with over 60 programs across New York City and the greater New York Area.

Samaritan Daytop Village serves over 33,000 New Yorkers annually within your neighborhoods and communities so our success depends on those we employ.

The Role

Under the general direction of the Program Director or Designee, the Housing Specialist is responsible for identifying permanent housing for program participants. The Housing Specialist will also be responsible for conducting housing assessments to determine participants’ housing readiness, family composition, and other housing needs. Position will provide comprehensive case management, will assist clients in the completion of applications for housing and rental subsidy programs, and conduct housing counseling.

Responsibilities

What You Will Do

• Coordinates development and maintains linkages with reliable landlords, brokers, and realty agencies.
• Maintains an updated database of available resources.
• Guides clients and staff as it relates to housing-related issues.
• Assists residents in seeking safe, permanent, and affordable housing.
• Coordinates with case managers on client cases.
• Inspects apartments to ensure they comply with city, state, and local standards.
• Interviews candidates to ensure income, family size, etc., and are suitable for placement.
• Identifies barriers to housing (i.e.: language, substance abuse, appearance, etc.).
• Advocates on participants’ behalf to obtain and/or maintain housing subsidies (Advantage NYC, Section 8, FEPS, etc.).
• Maintains tracking forms for placements; provides accurate reports promptly.
• Assists Case Managers in developing appropriate housing plans.
• Assists in facilitating OOR processes (registration, inspection, linkage, etc.).
• Assists in the reconciliation of placements; verifies non-advantage placements and completes appropriate documentation.

Qualifications

Who You Will Be

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Six Months to One Year of comparable housing or real estate experience working with the NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) or other similar city-operated organizations.
• Willingness to participate in CPR and First Aid training.
• Willingness to travel in the community to view available apartments with program participants.
• Available to work a flexible schedule as needed in response to participant and staff needs.
• Computer literacy including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and EHR.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.