Housing Specialist

Volunteers of America Los Angeles; United States; On-site; USD 33,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement benefits

Job summary

Volunteers of America Los Angeles is seeking a Housing Specialist to identify suitable housing options for program participants and their families and help them achieve sustainable independent living. You will work as part of the services team in assessment, planning, engagement and delivery.

On-site role with responsibilities including locating housing options, maintaining a housing database, coordinating with landlords, and connecting tenants with community resources to prevent homelessness.

Qualifications

• Fingerprints clearance background check required.
• Ability to handle emotional stress and challenging clients.

Responsibilities

• Identifies and locates housing options for homeless participants.
• Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments.
• Communicates with landlords and explains VOALA programs.
• Performs habitability and lead-based paint inspections as needed.
• Works one-on-one with landlords to support clients and program.
• Develops support systems to meet housing needs.
• Coordinates move-in activities, rental negotiations and referrals.
• Provides information referrals and crisis intervention as part of case management.

Skills

Bilingual in English and Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services or related discipline

Job description

About Us

VOALA Helping Our Most Vulnerable Change Their Life Stories Volunteers of America is a non profit human services organization committed to serving people in need strengthening families and building communities VOALA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs Upward Bound college prep programs veterans services homeless shelters low income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation Learn more at wwwvoalaorg

PAY RATE

2353 2477 Per Hour

BENEFITS

VOALA offers competitive medical dental vision and retirement benefits

JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The Housing Specialist is responsible for identifying suitable housing options for program participants and their families and assisting the participants to achieve sustainable and healthy independent livingPart of services team for the program the Housing Specialist participates in all stages of client service assessment services planning engagement and delivery Assists program case management outreach and community engagement as directed

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless participants including referral to VOALA shelters as appropriate
• Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments
• Communicates with landlords and familiarize them with the VOALA programs and the unique needs of participants
• Conducts habitability and lead based paint inspections of housing options as needed
• Works directly One on One with landlords on behalf of clients and program
• Develops support systems to meet individual clients housing needs
• coordinates and facilitates move in activities rental negotiations and service referrals as needed
• Facilitates the use of community resources to assist both tenants and landlords in the event of problems leading to potential eviction
• As a member of the program case management team provides information referrals crisis intervention and assistance with permanent housing placement for participants
• Assists case managers in conducting the comprehensive screenings and assessments to collect functional environmental financial employment housing educational and health information as appropriate to develop an Individual Service Plan
• Coordinates follow up services with case management team
• Additional duties as assigned

ESSENTIAL ABILITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

• Ability to work and deal with difficult uncooperative and potentially aggressive clients as VOALA serves the neediest of the needy in our programs which may include clients with homelessness mental illness substance abuse recently released from incarceration and other challenges

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Services for this position must be provided on site
• As a result the position requires incumbents to report to work on site each day of active employment
• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless program participants
• Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments
• Communicates with landlords and familiarize them with the program
• Works one on one with landlords to help clients and represent program
• Develops Support system for clients to achieve and keep permanent housing involving landlords and services available in the community
• Coordinates efforts with Case Management team supporting Case Management initiatives for clients served meets regularly to stay current with client needs
• Participates in Community engagement and outreach efforts
• Other duties as required and may be subject to change

MANDATED REPORTER

• As service providers to the underprivileged and vulnerable in our community all employees are considered Mandated Reporters and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities

QUALIFICATIONSREQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance background check including criminal history personal references employment and education verifications
• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress and conflicts dealing with difficult uncooperative and potentially aggressive clients as VOALA serves the neediest of the needy in our programs which may include clients with homelessness mental illness substance abuse recently released from incarceration and other challenges

EDUCATION

• Bachelors Degree in Social Services or related discipline Or Equivalent combination of education and work experience four years

EXPERIENCE

• One year of experience working with veterans people in recovery and or homelessness individuals

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual in English and Spanish written and verbal
• Experience and familiarity using a HMIS homeless database

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin disability protected Veteran Status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal state or local law

E Verify Statement

This employer participates in E Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form I 9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the US If E Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security DHS or Social Security Administration SSA so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you including terminating your employment