HCV Housing Resource Specialist

Chicago Housing Authority•Chicago, IL

4h•$65,000 - $70,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The HCV Housing Resource Specialist will assist Participants with disabilities in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program locate accessible housing in the City of Chicago. The Specialist will provide direct case management services to HCV Participants and conduct outreach to landlords, property management companies and explore on-line housing resources to connect participants with suitable, accessible housing.

Requirements

BA preferred in social services or related field or a combination of education and professional experience, with a minimum of three (3) years transferrable work with the identification of housing, working with disabled populations, and/or working with Housing Choice Voucher programs.
The position requires skills to independently adapt, interpret, and apply written guidelines, precedents and standardized work practices to a variety of unprecedented or problematic situations.
Candidate shall have excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work independently and as part of a team while exercising good judgment and a demonstrated ability to problem solve, plan and organize.
The individual assuming this role will interface with a range of stakeholders, including families with a disability, property owners, property management agents, as well as CHA, City, and HUD staff. Selected candidate must have the ability to effectively and professionally work with people from diverse backgrounds including those with sensitive backgrounds. Must be able to maintain discretion and confidentiality.
Must be a self-starter with excellent time management skills, as well as able to problem solve and meet critical goals and tight deadlines.
Position requires high proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Yardi, Microsoft SharePoint and CMTS.
Position requires a valid driver’s license.
Employee is required to test their knowledge of HCV and Fair Housing program and to demonstrate an 85% or greater achievement on certification examinations within 180 days of hire.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with Public Housing Authorities, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), state, and/or local housing programs assisting people with disabilities is a plus.
Experience identifying housing opportunities for persons with disabilities in the Chicago rental market.

Responsibilities

Review and process Reasonable Accommodation (RA) requests from HCV Participants and Applicants to facilitate access to quality housing.
Work with Home Modification program to facilitate accessibility installs and structural modifications.
Assist Participants and Applicants to identify housing units with accessibility features based on Reasonable Accommodation approvals.
Assist HCV Participants and Applicants with disabilities access on-line reasonable accommodation portal.
Attend HCV Participant briefings / meetings and explain CHA and HCV Reasonable Accommodation programs and services for people with disabilities.
Develop a database of accessible rental units throughout Chicago and categorize units based on the accessible features. Reach out to property owners, property managers, and other housing professionals to establish relationships and expand the RA housing database.
Provide advocacy on behalf of HCV Participants who require reasonable accommodations and accessible units. Correspond with internal and external stakeholders, including vendors, outside agencies and organizations, and CHA staff to assist Participants and Applicants access housing opportunities.
Conduct site visits to units to determine accessibility.
Conduct trainings for staff, contractors and outside organizations.
Attend community meetings to discuss the need for accessible housing in Chicago and the CHA’s housing locator services.
Prepare activity reports, program tracking, and monitoring reports, as requested.
Participate in outreach events to market programs to Participants and Housing professionals.
Perform other tasks assigned by the Fair Housing Director.

Benefits

Vacation, Sick and Personal, competitive PTO package
Medical (HMO, PPO, and No employee cost High-Deductible PPO) Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance
Pet Insurance
Parking Transit
Prepaid Legal Services
Brightstar 529 College Savings Plan
Identity Theft Protection
Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Voluntary Critical Illness Insurance
Deferred Compensation Plan: Empower 457/401(a) with a 3% employer match
Pension Plan: CHA makes contributions on behalf of the employee, along with the employee's 3% contribution; 100% vesting occurs after 6 years of continuous employment or opt-out of CHA's Retirement Plan and continues to participate in the Municipal Employees Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
Hybrid work schedule (position specific) This position may be eligible for remote work following a successful completion of a 90-day probationary period according to CHA’s established policies and procedures.