Housing Navigator

Job Overview:

The Housing Navigator is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with various housing sources including but not limited to landlords, property managers, reStart Inc. Housing Case Managers, and program participants. The Housing Navigator will helpparticipantsfind and retain permanent safe and affordable housing in great neighborhoods throughout Wyandotte and Jackson County.This positionprovidessupport to participants in transitional housing, shelter, SSVF and coordinated entry programs. The Housing Navigator supports the program efforts through landlord engagement, retention and collaboration.This position supports households  in complying with housing rules through various tenant rights education and utilizing their various resources.We believe housing is the basis of stability and plays a vital role in helping our participants achieve self-sufficiency.

Responsibilities/Duties:

• Develop partnership with owners and landlords in Jackson and Wyandotte County. Maintain databases of landlords and available property. Create a rating system of each landlord willingness to house or work with our agency to help. Restart client participant.
• Monitor the local housing rental market by keeping abreast of rent, reasonableness, supply and demand of housing, and other related condition.
• Negotiate rental agreements with landlords, conduct all housing inspection and assist participants with review of lease agreement and move in.
• Arrange for timely inspections and landlord corrective action.
• Maintain detailed occupancy notes in participants paper and digital file within 24 hours of inspections.Enter allMove in Dates into HMIS, Scout and SharePoint within 24hr of occupancy.
• Maintain a housing directory which should at minimum include documentation of all contacts with housing providers, including corporation name if applicable, name of contact, address, phone, date of contact and result of contact.
• Ensure that all regulatory agreements, contracts and fair housing laws are adhered to as they relate to fair housing.
• Coordinate eviction prevention services and follow up with landlords.
• Report maintenance requests from tenants and from observations made during inspection.
• Clearly and consistently communicate with team leaders about the needs, experience, and observation of program participants and ways to improve the program to support participant success.
• Provide weekly reports and housing availability to reStart Inc. housing case managers and supervisorin an efficient and timely manner.
• Conduct quarterly landlord training and information session.
• Outreach to community business owners, Realtors, landlord, housing developers and other service providers to identify new and existing leasing opportunities and build strong relationships to better assist client in accessing housing.
• Conduct targeted outreach to owners, landlords, property managers, hotels, nursing homes, assisted living, and group homes of rental units to educate them on the benefits of program participation.
• Conduct outreach and expand access to housing by cultivating relationships with property owners and management company and connecting with landlords via neighborhood outreach, Internet search, and networking events.
• Be knowledgeable about and in attendance at landlord association, real estate industry and networking events with Director.
• Attend and participate in all meetings, case conferences, and training as assigned.
• Provide advocacy to help address issues and barriers between landlords and participants that may prevent move in.
• Serve aspoint of contact for landlord concerns and complaints, acting as liaison to connect landlords, tenants and the housing case managers.
• House program participants in fewer than 90 days (about 3 months) of acceptance into reStart housing program.
• Ability to listen with sensitivity to other people's feelings, needs and points of view. Demonstrate tact and courtesy and expressing opinion or ideas projecting a positive image. of reStart Inc. and recognizing opportunities to enhance community relation.
• Drive agency and or personal vehicle for agency business purposes and to various site.
• Perform other duties assigned

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Social Service, Family and Human Services or related field, preferred.
• Preference to candidates with at least three years in property management/real estate experience, and or experience with supported housing or residential programs.
• Excellent knowledge of local housing markets in Jackson and Wyandotte counties.
• Must be comfortable with conducting single staffed home visits.
• Familiar with in home inspection preferably HUD Housing Quality Standard.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a can do and flexible attitude.
• Ability to maintain professional conduct great attitude, and professional appearance at all times.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, multitask, maintain confidentiality and meet deadline.
• Ability to work with people that have disabilities and with varying backgrounds and cultures while demonstrating cultural awareness and recognizing individual needs and strengths.
• Ability to meet the physical and mental demand of the job, including bending and lifting up to 25 lbs.
• Working under a variety of conditions, including in people's homes, in the office and in the community.
• Ability to work occasional weekends and evening as needed.
• Experience using Teams, Zoom, Word, Excel, Power Point, SharePoint, cell phone, and e-mail.
• Must pass background and fingerprint checks.