Housing Specialist

Health Care For the Homeless Inc; United States; On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Health Care For the Homeless Inc is seeking a Housing Specialist to guide clients through rental applications, inspections, and lease signing while coordinating with partners to ensure safe, affordable housing options.

You will develop individualized housing plans, provide tenancy education, and document progress to support grant reporting and program compliance.

Qualifications

• Associate degree preferred in human services or related field.
• Two years of experience linking clients with housing placements.
• Experience in health care, housing or behavioral health settings preferred.
• Experience using HMIS preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify, secure, and retain housing placements for clients.
• Assist with housing inspections to ensure safety standards.
• Provide counseling on tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Develop individualized housing plans with clients.
• Maintain and update client records for leasing and grant reporting.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and external partners.
• Mediates with landlords and builds housing options.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Confidentiality

Harm Reduction

Housing First

Teamwork

Tenant rights

HMIS

Education

Associate’s degree in human services or related field

Tools

HMIS

Job description

OverviewThe Housing Specialist provides housing-related assistance to clients entering into housing. This position works directly with clients to guide them through rental application, resource identification, and lease signing processes. The position helps to coordinate and track housing inspections, ensure documentation is obtained, and safety standards are met. The position also provides tenancy-based education, conflict resolution and landlord mediation assistance to promote housing retention. Central to this position is ensuring clients move seamlessly from temporary housing placements into permanent supportive housing.Key Role ResponsibilitiesHelps clients identify, secure, and retain housing placements. Assists with the inspection process to ensure that housing units meet established safety standards.Provides housing-based counseling and education regarding tenant rights and responsibilities. Reviews past housing history and identifies possible barriers to obtaining and retaining housingIn partnership with clients, develop and implement individualized housing plans to promote housing success. Promotes successful implementation of housing plans by providing information and referrals to community resources. Assesses and responds to tenancy problems such as late payments, damage or lease violations, inadequate income and financial assistance needs.Partners with interdisciplinary team members and external partners to ensure clients are able to rapidly exit homelessness.Develops new landlord relationships and cultivates existing partnerships to create a robust pool of safe and affordable housing options for clients exiting homelessness and relocating. Networks with property managers and provides mediation services when needed.Prepares and maintains client records, documentation, and up-to-date files required for the leasing process. Conducts annual review of files to ensure grant compliance and provides statistical information for reports.Completes and updates HMIS documentation to include program entry, monthly and annual client assessments in accordance with grant requirements. Accesses and collects data from HMIS database to promote care coordination activitiesCompletes documentation within the client’s electronic health record in a manner that is easy to understand and in accordance with established formats and required timeframes.Key Agency ResponsibilitiesIn addition to role responsibilities, every staff member has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment:Models and reinforces the core values of dignity, authenticity, hope, justice, passion and balanceActively participates in performance improvement and advocacy activities that support the missionProtects clients’ personal health information by maintaining compliance with HIPAA and other relevant health care-related IT security regulationsPerforms other duties on an as-needed basisKnowledge, Experience, and SkillsFormal Education and TrainingAssociate’s degree in human services or related field preferredA valid Driver’s license, access to a personal vehicle during work hours and clean driving recordExperienceTwo years of experience linking clients with housing placements in the communityExperience working with permanent supportive housing programs that utilize rental assistance, tenant-based vouchers and project-based vouchers strongly preferredExperience using HMIS preferredExperience working in a health care, housing or behavioral health setting preferredSkillsDisplays personal integrity and has well-developed interpersonal skills necessary to engage clients and promote positive relationships with other community agencies and providersWillingness to adopt and apply Harm Reduction and Housing First principlesGood verbal and written communication skillsAbility to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset and sometimes hostile clientsAbility to be flexible and work as part of an interdisciplinary teamAbility to work in sensitive situations and maintain confidentialityCapacity to tolerate frequent interruptionsApproaches change with a positive, open-minded attitudeWorking Conditions and Physical RequirementsActivitySomeFreqWork Position %Lift0-50 lbs.xSitting30%Carry0-50 lbs.xWalking40%Push0-50 lbs.xStanding30%Pull0-50 lbs.xStoop, KneelXCrawlXClimbXBalanceXPhysical RequirementsHazardsMark with an X if this is a physical requirement for this job.Mark with an X if this is a potential hazard for this job.xManual dexterity (eye/hand coordination)xUse of Latex GlovesPerform shift workExposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergentsxManeuver weight of patientsExposure to moving mechanical partsxHear alarms/telephone/tape recorderxExposure to dust/fumesReach above shoulderExposure to potential electrical shockxRepetitive arm/hand movementsExposure to x ray/electromagnetic energyxFinger DexterityxExposure to high pitched noisesColor VisionXExposure to communicable diseases*xAcuity – farxBlood born pathogen exposurexAcuity – nearGaseous risk exposurexDepth perceptionOn Call*May be exposed to infectious disease with little likelihood of harm if established procedures are followed