Job Description
- Proactively seek out new housing opportunities and resources to assist participants
- Maintain a working knowledge of available housing programs, including but not limited to: Housing Choice Voucher, Almost Home, Rapid Rehousing, Foster Youth
Independence, Emergency Housing Voucher, Human Trafficking Vouchers. - Maintains a relationship with engaged property managers/owners.
- Establishes new relationships with those interested in providing housing for participants
- Establishes updates and maintains and communicates a list of available housing opportunities.
- Educate landlord on how the rental subsidy programs work including time frame and potential payment breakdown.
- Educate the landlord on the Housing Choice Voucher (formerly Section 8) program and other long-term subsidy programs.
- Determine with client housing barriers, preferences, needs, and goals
- Develop and implement an individual housing plan for each participant
- Provide access to resources to assist participants during their move into permanent housing; such as assistance furnishing and other household items
- Schedule and conduct monthly in-person on-site apartment visits
- Conduct monthly follow-up, post rapid rehousing program enrollment for 6 months via email, text, zoom, or other means of communication.
- Connect participants to community resources that will support the goal of permanent housing (ie benefits advocacy, food pantries, employment services)
- Facilitate access to services required to foster housing readiness (credit repair, legal aid, housekeeping, money management, tenant rights, and responsibilities, etc)
- Ensure participants have the necessary items to secure housing (valid id, income verification, bank statements)
- Provide information and instructions to the participant regarding how to complete a housing application, housing search, tenant rights, and responsibilities; including observation of rental agreements rules and being a good neighbor.
- Assist participants directly with visiting prospective units, completing housing applications, speaking with and engaging landlords and property managers, and providing transportation to housing-related appointments as necessary.
- Provide direct, ongoing support in the way of escorts to case plan related appointments and activities as needed.
- Follow up with each participant weekly to ensure they are making progress towards their housing goals via text, email, zoom and/or in-person.
- Assist participants in budgeting, effective problem solving, options planning and/or other skill-building lessons.
- Ensure timely and effective flow of communication between internal departments to ensure the delivery of quality services to the participants.
- Remain current on new and modified housing assistance programs and their related regulations to ensure the accurate provision of guidance and assistance to the client.
- Maintain and update agency housing database
- Update and maintain accurate participant contact information.
- Mediate with landlords, troubleshoot housing-related difficulties with their tenants, and provide assistance as necessary to maintaining housing tenancy
- Complete required housing inspections for prospective units as necessary
- Establishes and maintains an ongoing relationship with area housing authorities, landlords, furniture store owners/managers, and local churches in order to obtain housing and household items for participants moving into permanent housing.
- Responsible for all related data collection and reports as required for internal and external stakeholders.
- Provide appropriate documentation/maintenance of case files and ensure that intakes, discharges, and assessments are completed and entered into ETO and HMIS
- Expand opportunities for participant engagement by working one evening per week as determined by the supervisor.
- Assist as needed with fundraising affairs and special events which may be conducted outside of employees normal work schedule.
- Read and respond to all company email.
- All other duties as assigned.
Applicant Must be available to work the following schedule: Four days a week 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM and one late night schedule of 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Days Off Saturday & Sunday
- Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field
- Two years’ experience working with an adolescent population.
- Individual and group counseling skills.
- Excellent communication, leadership and assessment skills.
- Experience working with individuals with disabilities.
- Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
- Valid drivers’ license with an insurable record.
- Must be bilingual in Spanish
- Must be available to work in the Hudson County area.
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 403B Retirement Plan & Paid Time Off