Housing Navigator

detail-orientedAbout Family Promise of Orange County

The mission of Family Promise of Orange County is to help families experiencing homelessness achieve housing stability. We HELP, we give HOPE, we bring families HOME! We provide a pathway of support to empower families to avoid homelessness or to exit homelessness as quickly as possible. We work to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring for families with children through the following programs:

Prevention Services - Using prevention and diversion strategies to help families at imminent risk of homelessness stabilize their own housing and avoid becoming homeless. Prevention services is the furthest upstream of FPOC programs. It is proactive and creative at its core.

Short-Term Housing - Providing free, safe, and secure overnight accommodations and access to basic needs for families experiencing homelessness alongside housing-focused case management and housing navigation services. Short-Term Housing will be located at House of Ruth which is currently being constructed and is set to open this summer. The FPOC Board is also in negotiations with potential sites to operate an additional short-term housing facility in Orange County.

Family Supportive Services - FPOC offers a variety of supportive services to help families who are either at imminent risk of homelessness or who are experiencing homelessness and are not enrolled in another FPOC program. Services include laundry, shower, access to basic needs, food, housing navigation, case management, and community workshops.

Stabilization - After a family moves into or maintains their housing – graduating from a FPOC program -we offer ongoing support services to address housing stability. Our team walks alongside families for up to two years to help them create and accomplish goals for employment, education, transportation, health, family strengthening, and community engagement.

Housing Navigator Job Objective

Under the supervision of the Director of Programs, the Housing Navigator assists and advocates on behalf of FPOC clients to locate, secure, and retain affordable permanent housing. The Housing Navigator provides services including community outreach, prospective landlord identification and recruitment, housing searches, lease/contract negotiation, unit inspections, coordination with local housing entities, acting as a liaison with tenants and landlords, and mediating complaints/concerns to proactively prevent returns to homelessness.

Responsibilities:

 Works in collaboration with the Case Managers to help clients create their Housing Plan.

 Outreaches to and builds rapport with local business owners, realtors, landlords, housing

developers, and other service providers to identify new and existing housing opportunities.

 Collaborates with service providers and the Family Solutions Collaborative to ensure FPOC

clients are connected with housing vouchers they may be eligible for such as rapid rehousing,

permanent supportive housing, section 8, as well as other nontraditional housing opportunities.

 Understands the basics of landlord-tenant law, rental contracts, and fair housing requirements;

to assist landlords, program participants, and case managers.

 Assists clients with housing applications, completes supportive and subsidized housing

paperwork, surveys rental market for affordable housing options, and advocates for clients with

prospective landlords.

 Conducts community workshops at the House of Ruth Community Resource Center on topics

such as Keys to Good Tenancy, understanding Section 8, fair housing, etc.

 Assists FPOC clients with the move-in process, including connecting clients with furniture and

move-in kits.

 Enters all client data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and other

databases, as needed.

 Updates client files and ensures compliance with all FPOC and grant requirements.

 Participates in regular supervision, including peer supervision.

 Engages in ongoing training to learn industry best practices.

 Assistance at fundraisers and special events as needed.

 Other duties as assigned.

Education, Experience and Skills

 Master’s degree in social work, or other related field, and 2 years of experience working in a

social service agency, preferably as a case manager,

 Bachelor’s degree, BSW or other related degree with 4 years of experience preferably as a case

manager.

 Bilingual (English/Spanish) required.

 Commitment and ability to engage in an empathetic, non-judgmental way with people in stressful

situations -- to establish rapport to help families resolve their immediate housing crisis.

 Expected human service skills include case management, trauma-informed care, housing-first

and a strength-based approach.

 Be versed in and have a commitment to use conflict resolution and mediation skills. Basic

mediation training preferred.

 Enthusiastic and can display good judgment, take initiative, and help families achieve outcomes.

Must have a can-do, figure-it-out attitude.

 Must be detail-oriented, execute projects in a fast-paced, often pressured environment; able to prioritize, self-manage, work independently and always use good judgment.

 Must be proficient in computer programs and demonstrated record of tracking outcomes,

recording case notes.

 Comfortable working with various constituents: clients, staff, board, government, corporate,

and foundation partners, etc

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $31.00 - $35.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Anaheim, CA 92805