Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) Project Assistant for the Division of Tenant and Owner Resources

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

About the Agency: The NYC Department Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love. - We maintain building and resident safety and health - We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability - We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity. HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. To support this important work, the administration has committed $5 billion in new capital funding, bringing the 10-year planned investment in housing to $22 billion the largest in the city’s history. This investment, coupled with a commitment to reduce administrative and regulatory barriers, is a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York City’s complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth. Your Team: The Office of Housing Access and Stability (“HAS”) consists of the divisions of Housing Opportunity, Tenant and Owner Resources, Housing Stability, Budget and Program Operations, and Program Policy and Innovation. The mission of the office is to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent access to affordable housing. The Office provides subsidies, placement services, and tools that connect New Yorkers to affordable housing and ensures vulnerable households in subsidized housing have the support they need to be safely housed. Housing Access is committed to expanding housing choices, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and stabilizing the financial health of buildings. The Division of Tenant and Owner Resources (DTOR), within HAS, is responsible for the administration of rental subsidy programs that serves over 45,000 households and 9,000 landlords in all five boroughs. These programs include the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Project Based Voucher (PBV), Moderate Rehab Section 8, Moderate Rehab Single Room Occupancy (SRO), and Continuum of Care (CoC)/Shelter Plus Care (SPC), NYC 15/15, Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) and HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (HOME TBRA). Your Impact: The Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP) is a statewide rental subsidy program that supports low-income families and individuals who are homeless, facing eviction, or are at imminent risk of losing their housing due to domestic violence or hazardous living conditions. The program would be available to New Yorkers who may be ineligible for local or federal rental assistance programs. HAVP would help low-income New Yorkers achieve stability and retain permanent housing by subsidizing their rent: tenants would contribute 30% of their income, and the program covers the remaining cost. Through this support, HAVP provides a critical pathway out of homelessness and protects tenants at immediate risk of displacement. Project Assistants in the Division of Tenant and Owner Resources are responsible for providing case management services that support and expedite the issuance of HAVP vouchers to HPD clients. These services may include meeting with groups on-site, attending workshops, and participating in community events. Project Assistants are also expected to engage in activities that build relationships with landlords and encourage participation in the HAVP Program. Additionally, Project Assistants will ensure that HAVP cases are properly screened, fully documented, and are compliant with the policies and requirements established by the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC).

Requirements

High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

Nice To Haves

Excellent Communication Skills (both orally and in writing)
Strong Customer Service Focus
Computer Proficiency
Bilingual a Plus
Rental Subsidy experience a Plus

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of assisted or applicant households
Process and / or certify cases in the Emphasys ELITE system
Initial voucher application screening
Determination and verification of eligibility
Assist with preparing reports, charts and other analysis for the purpose of tracking and monitoring income adjustments, family composition and other changes and modifications that may alter client subsidy
Responsible for coordinating, monitoring and/or implementing HUD policies and procedures to perform analyses and review of cases to ensure that the City’s customer service mandates are met
Assist the with special projects which may require research, power point presentations and other operational analysis.
Facilitate client briefings (internal and external meetings)
May be required to work closely with other units within HPD, such as Fiscal, Development, etc.
Prepare and send appropriate correspondence, track responses via mail and email.
Document case files and electronic records, file preparation
Rent calculations
Review of yearly recertification’s of household composition and income/asset information
Attend mandatory trainings
Perform other duties assigned by the Coordinator, Deputy Director and/or Director