Certified Bilingual Housing Counselor & Resource Navigator

Community Economic Defense Project•Durango, CO

4d•$63,364 - $65,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is seeking a dedicated Certified Housing Counselor/Resource Navigator to join their Durango team. This HUD-certified program focuses on promoting housing sustainability through one-on-one client support, including budgeting, credit analysis, resource navigation, and home buyer education. Key responsibilities involve assisting with eviction and foreclosure prevention, down payment loans, and helping individuals transition from homelessness into stable housing. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, familiar with housing principles, proficient in social service CRM/CMS software, possesses strong organizational and communication skills, and can thrive in a fast-paced environment serving diverse populations.

Requirements

Bilingual in English and Spanish is required.
HUD-Approved Housing Counselor certification is required; however, candidates with a mortgage lending background may be hired provided they obtain certification within 60 days of their start date.
Experience in advocacy, customer service, social services, or law related environment.
Ability to apply prior experience to improve processes and collaboration in a startup environment that requires rapid adaptation to change with minimal supervision.
Analytical thinker with detail orientation, self-starter with ability to solve problems.
Demonstrated proficiency working with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Case Management System (CMS) databases or similar tracking and organizing technologies.
Fantastic organizational skills and ability to self-manage and prioritize a complex workload with rapidly changing demands.
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines and manage high-volume caseload to achieve required case-completion goals.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Proficiency in Google Suites with a demonstrated ability to navigate various applications within different platforms.
Foster culturally responsive services by being a part of opportunities for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) conversations within team collaborations.
Candidates must reside in Colorado, ideally within the greater Durango area.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with housing principles, such as eviction and foreclosure.

Responsibilities

Conduct Housing & Urban Development (HUD) approved housing counseling focused on eviction prevention, homelessness, foreclosure prevention, and pre-purchase housing counseling for up to 10-15 clients at a time.
Engage with mortgage providers, real estate agents, HOAs, landlords, and community resource referrals on behalf of CEDP clients.
Maintain complete and up-to-date records in the Housing Counseling CMS.
Track deadlines and manage calendars for your caseload, occasionally assist with cases from other team members and external partners.
Participate in ongoing learning and development related to HUD housing counseling content and trainings.
Provide housing counseling support for the Down Payment Assistance program to include: Lead home buyer education courses and pre/post purchase counseling.
Understand and adhere to compliance standards for the programs in which you are assigned cases from for housing counseling service.
Provide personalized assistance to individuals seeking resources across Colorado but specifically in Durango and surrounding areas, ensuring their needs are understood and addressed effectively.
Research and maintain up-to-date knowledge of local, state, and federal programs related to housing and other benefits.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with housing agencies, social service providers and community organizations. Engage in community meetings, coalitions, and community events.
Assist individuals navigating complex systems, including online portals and paperwork, providing them with step-by-step guidance and support.
Connect clients to legal services when applicable to support their housing situation.
Take on projects that support the growth of the Durango area’s development which may include creating outreach templates and generating reference tools for easy use by teammates and members of adjacent teams.
Support community members with accessing CEDP programs and services, as well as referrals to external programs when CEDP assistance is unavailable or the individual is better served by another provider.
Assist with community outreach and program awareness by distributing materials, maintaining local resource information, and helping community partners understand available CEDP programs and referral pathways.
Provide on-site support for CEDP and partner programming in Southwest Colorado, which may include workshops, outreach events, community clinics, and other in-person services.
Coordinate with internal CEDP teams to help community members access services across programs and facilitate document collection, referrals, and other in-person needs through the Durango office.