Housing Coordinator

Advocates For The Mentally Ill and•Auburn, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Housing Coordinator positions are under the supervision of the Director of Housing Coordination and the Program Manager. The Housing Coordinator is responsible for prioritizing engaging individuals and families in need of housing with search preparation, support during the housing search process, and offering assistance in skill building to increase self-sufficiency and permanency in housing and linkage to supportive services and housing counseling to foster housing retention. The Housing Coordinator works as a part of a team providing high-quality case management services to residents of several housing projects. The Housing Coordinator is the central point of contact for clients/program participants as they transition from “person experiencing homelessness” to “tenant living within the community.” Housing Coordinators work closely with program participants to ensure their needs are met and that AMIH programs are operated safely and efficiently.

Requirements

Possesses knowledge and ability to apply Housing First Principles and Tenant Rights and Responsibilities.
Must multitask with attention to detail while working in a fast-paced and sometimes chaotic environment.
Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work.
Communicate clearly and concisely through telephone, written, and electronic methods.
Type/Enter data at a speed necessary to meet job duties.
Apply housing first principles in working with potential household.
Continuously sit at a desk and/or stand at the counter for extended periods; use the keyboard to communicate through written means; run errands; lift lightweight.
Intermittently walk, stand, bend, climb, squat, twist, and reach while retrieving or returning files or making field visits.
Intermittently twist to get equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; see with correctable acuity sufficient to read characters on a computer screen; hear and speak with correctable acuity enough to communicate with others.
Make rapid and accurate arithmetic calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Understand the organization and operations of the AMIH and community partners as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
Compile and maintain extensive records and files.
Operate a variety of office machines/computers and software systems.
Bachelor’s degree or an associate degree with 2 years experience in a social services related field, OR a high school diploma and 4 years experience in a social service related field.
Complete and pass pre-employment background checks (Fingerprints, drug and alcohol testing, TB Clearance and criminal background checks.
Experience working with individuals with mental illness, drug/alcohol abuse, homelessness, or other social services.
A minimum of 2 years of experience in providing case management/service coordination with individuals experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, substance misuse, and/or homelessness.
Experience gathering and entering data into information systems, such as Coordinated Entry and Homeless Information Management System (HMIS).
Strong computer proficiency (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Adobe, DocuSign, Google Docs, Internet, and Calendar) to complete daily duties within the expected timeframes with little to no supervision.
Be welcoming and supportive.
Displays a solid desire to advance the agency’s mission and help people with mental illness improve their lives by becoming independent, successful community members.
Work in a client-centered, strength-based, and harm-reduction manner.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual fluency (English/Spanish) is preferred.
Experience working within some housing programs, such as HUD Section-Plus care, HUD Housing Choice, HUD Permanent Supportive Housing, and VASH Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, is preferred.

Responsibilities

Evaluate individuals and families for permanent housing in conjunction with the Director, Program Manager and Program Supervisor, and other service coordination staff.
Develop professional relationships with clients and maintain a caseload of program participants.
Provide linkage to community resources and entitlements, including a process to complete SOAR application and entitlements through Cal Fresh, CalWORKs, and accessing local food banks.
Continue to provide housing coordination to program participants for a minimum of 120 days after securing housing placement to ensure housing retention.
Stay current with available housing subsidies to help maximize housing options for each household.
Work collaboratively with program participants to identify and access sources of rental assistance (including security deposits, rent, utilities, and moving costs) from community programs; complete credit checks; provide linkage to Legal Services of Northern California to resolve any issues that may impact housing stability.
Provide appropriate Housing Coordinator representation at relevant collaborative meetings with the county and other service providers, such as Coordinated Entry By-Name List and multi-disciplinary case management meetings related to housing program participants.
Assist with preparing forms and any other documentation required for initial housing applications.
Assist with completing an application and submitting documents to qualify for Section 8 housing subsidy and property management rental application.
Conduct initial visits and orientation to new tenants during move-in and ongoing weekly case management sessions to housed individuals/families to monitor clients’ progress and to provide appropriate community referrals.
Provide impartial and non-biased consultation, advocacy, and review of an individual's or family’s needs to support successfully becoming housed.
Provide ongoing short-term (a minimum of 120 days) case management services to ensure successful permanent housing, including education on successful housing retention, decreasing social isolation, and preventing relapse risks.
Support clients in developing independent living skills, including money management and budgeting, housekeeping, nutrition and food preparation, social/recreational activities, and job training/placement (when appropriate) to help them maintain independent living.
Develop and implement an individualized care plan in collaboration with each participant.
Assist clients with maintaining medication and treatment regimens, including accompanying/transporting clients to appointments in the community with health, mental health, and other care providers.
Respond to urgent requests for assistance from clients or landlords immediately.
Provide support to landlords.
Ensure case notes are entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) within 48 hours of completing a direct case management service with the client; submit notes for review by the Program Director weekly.
Ensure client information and responding case notes are recorded accurately and timely in the data collection system used by program assignments (e.g., Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Entry, Mental Health Service Act (MHSA), Electronic Health Record).
Manage client file organization.
Assist in collecting and aggregating program data and preparing required reports.