Housing Advocate

Breaking Ground•New York, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, along with housing in upstate New York and Connecticut. Supportive housing - affordable housing paired with services designed to help people maintain their homes for the long-term - is widely recognized as a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness. Breaking Ground's programs and services help people experiencing street homelessness - especially those who have been on the streets the longest - to come indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach program and transitional housing resources, we help people get, and stay, on the path to a permanent home. Breaking Ground’s Street to Home programs makes regular contact with more than 2,000 street homeless individuals and connects more than 500 individuals to housing, medical and mental health services, substance abuse counseling, and other essential supports each year. The caring, individually tailored attention clients receive at each stage of their journey from street to home ensures that more than 95% of people who Breaking Ground places remain stably housed.

Requirements

Two years related work experience
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience
Knowledgeable about local benefit agencies and familiarity with substance abuse, mental health, and employment issues
Strong oral and written communication skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and electronic record keeping
Valid NY, NJ, CT, or PA driver’s license with a good driving record, as defined by Breaking Ground, is a condition of employment
Must maintain a good driving record (as defined by the organization) is a condition of employment

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Responsibilities

Engage with all persons on the street who appear homeless
Create and maintain active registry of chronic homeless clients; non-chronic included in registry
Conduct vulnerability assessment
Attend clinical supervision and training
Develop and maintain recordkeeping files and databases, completion of necessary reports and data entry
Communicate with team members through progress notes, program databases, reports, staff meetings, and weekly clinical supervision
Liaison with other service providers on behalf of clients
Collaborate with Parks Department, NYPD, DSNY, MTA, and other agencies
Respond to 311 calls
Participate in Code Blue/Red
Monitor encampments
Performs other related duties as assigned