Housing Navigator

Job Purpose

The mission of Hope the Mission’s mission is to prevent, reduce, and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions.

The Housing Navigator will provide field-based services to single adult individuals experiencing homelessness as they transition into permanent housing. The selected candidate’s primary responsibilities are to assess for permanent housing opportunities and locate best fit housing placement options, provide housing stability services, including implementation of housing stabilization plans, and coordination of multiple services to meet each clients' needs. Navigators are also responsible for building and maintaining good working relationships with landlords/management companies/property owners as well as with other homeless service providers and partnering agencies.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist Participants with completing Housing Voucher applications. This can include LAHSA application requirements, PHA application requirements, any related assessments and resulting coordination needed to sufficiently provide housing support for each participant.

• Responsible for providing support to homeless individuals in the following areas: housing focused case management, housing readiness, accessing housing assistance programs, completing housing applications, advocacy, housing search and placement, etc.

• Conduct CES assessment to determine appropriate permanent housing intervention and service needs • Navigate persons to permanent housing placement or programs that will assist with safe and stable housing - Rapid Rehousing, DHS- Housing for Health, Homeless Section 8, Tenant-Based Supportive Housing, Housing Choice Voucher Program, HOPWA, VASH, Project Based Housing, SRO, Shared Housing, Low Income Housing, etc.

• Responsible to develop a Housing & Services Plan (HSP) to streamline participants towards permanent housing and specific goals if needed.

• Connect program participants to community resources that will support the goal of permanent housing acquisition (credit repair, legal aid, housing rights, etc.)

• Assist clients in obtaining move-in assistance resources as available (deposit assistance, furniture, etc.) • Responsible to work in collaboration with any and all HOTV programs and program staff. • Follow-up with each participant on a regular basis to ensure they are making progress towards their goals

• Responsible to complete and maintain current documents required for the client files, including assessments, individualized housing plans, case notes, housing applications, housing vouchers, lease agreements, exit reports, etc.

Other duties include

• Develop effective, trusting relationships with program participants

• Develop and maintain professional working relationships with landlords, sober livings, and other housing providers to establish a “database” of available housing units

• Attend and participate in Team Meetings, Trainings, Case Conferencing, CES Meetings, Coalition Meetings, Homeless Services Meetings, etc.

• Responsible for maintaining thorough and accurate records in both written form (hard copies) and through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is required

• Responsible for meeting specific performance outcomes for applicable LAHSA contracts • Submitting reports, documentation and connecting with outside agencies

• Establish and/or maintain good rapport and working arrangements with co-workers, including the management team and other staff

• Facilitate and supervise regularly scheduled departmental staff meetings and resident house meetings • Uphold all HOTV and LAHSA Rules, Regulations, and Policies.

• Use de-escalation and mediation techniques to help clients work through conflict

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Understand and support the mission statement of Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission • Bachelor's Degree in Social Work or related field or three (3) years' experiences working with the homeless or similar population (preferably in a housing related capacity)

• Must possess solid proficiency of Microsoft Office Suite

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must possess basic grammar and spelling skills • Possess the necessary initiative, adaptability, and responsibility to work with minimum supervision • Excellent time management skills. Must possess the ability to meet deadlines and work with attention to detail

• Must possess excellent problem-solving skills

• Ability to interact with others professionally

• Knowledge of Housing First, Harm Reduction, and Trauma Informed principles

• Knowledge of HUD guidelines on Subsidized Housing Programs

• Experience working with a diverse population, with sensitivity to differences in culture, religion, sexual orientation, race, age, and physical and mental illness

• Valid CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire

• Must be TB-cleared prior to hiring

• A criminal background check is required

• Local travel may be required

• A Valid CA driver's license is required

• HOTV is requiring staff to utilize masks when in the office and be vaccinated or provide an exempted doctors note

Working conditions

• Ability to walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis • Ability to grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead

• Ability to work in proximity with service animals and emotional support animals  Ability to operate a computer, fax, and telephone

• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.

• Some night and weekend hours required

• Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. Employee is required to: Walk and climb stairs; stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis; Grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead; Handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; Reach with hands and arms; Be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; Repeat various motions with the wrists, hands, and fingers; Be able to perform visual activities for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks; Ability to lift up to 25 lbs. Communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written word; Drive vehicle in and around Los Angeles County; Be able to enter various buildings that may require climbing stairs. Be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. Employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals; Use a desktop and/or laptop computer; copy, postage, and fax machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing.

Physical, Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employee is required to: Routinely required to sit; walk; climb stairs; engage in verbal, written, and email communication; hear; use hands to keyboard, finger, handle, and feel; stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, reach, and stretch. Occasionally required to move around the Administration of ice. Can observe and respond to people and situations and interact with others encountered in the course of work.

Handle, fingers, grasp and feel objects and equipment; Reach with hands and arms; Communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written word; Be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; Repeat various motions with the wrists, hands, and fingers; Be able to have visual activity for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks; Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Drive vehicle in and around Los Angeles County, as needed; be able to enter buildings that may require climbing stairs.

Be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. Use a desktop and/or laptop computer, copy, postage, and fax machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing. Employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals.