Housing Counselor

PathStone Corporation•Rochester, NY

13h

About The Position

This position will provide housing counseling services to prospective homebuyers, renters, landlords, and current homeowners with support, guidance, and training. The Housing Counselor will engage in one-on-one counseling with clients with economically and culturally diverse backgrounds to understand their situation and provide guidance and resources. This position will prepare and present workshops and classes in areas related to rental housing, homeownership, post-closing, and foreclosure prevention.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
HUD Certification required within one year of employment (organization supported).
NCHEC Certification required within one year of employment (organization supported).
Minimum 3 years of experience with specific training in housing management, banking, or case management preferred.
Working knowledge of computers including Outlook, basic Excel, Word, Publisher, and PowerPoint required.
Position requires automobile, driver’s license and insurance.

Nice To Haves

Associates degree or higher preferred.
Certified housing counselor preferred.
Experience or familiarity with local, state, and federal service programs preferred.
Non-profit experience desired.
Advanced knowledge of rental contracts, property laws, and anti-discrimination laws desired.
Communication skills including bilingual ability strongly desired.

Responsibilities

Prepare households for housing supports such as mortgage and grant applications, home retention options, foreclosure prevention, or other subsidies.
Process intake forms and assess client’s current financial situation.
Analyze credit reports.
Provide overall financial wellness coaching by assisting families with developing a personal budget, savings plan, and credit counseling.
Make recommendations to improve the client’s monthly budget to plan and save.
Create a written action plan for each household.
Advise families of housing options suitable to their needs.
Provide program materials related to the client’s particular situation.
Prepare client’s file for one-on-one review.
Interpret financial information for the tenant, homeowner, buyers, and lenders.
Maintain confidentiality with client’s information pertaining to personal finances.
Refer client for legal services if appropriate.
Work with banks and lenders to develop loss mitigation solutions on behalf of the client.
Work with attorneys, courts, and municipalities to assist with client meetings and settlement conferences.
Manage caseload of clients each month including accurate data entry into client management system for quarterly report.
Maintain knowledge of direct subsidy grant programs such as HOME, AHC, CDBG, FHLB, HCV and Social Services etc.
Prepare reports for grant and program requirements.
Review regulations, interpret program information, and produce demographic and narrative reports.
Develop and deliver formal training to present to program clients and external groups related to the home purchase, financial literacy, successful renting, and homeownership.
Responsible for all relevant program compliance within the Housing Counseling program.
Participate in answering inquiries from the Housing Hotline approximately 1,500 per quarter (Rochester location only).
Conduct outreach to landlords with properties in distress affordable to LMI households.
Provide technical assistance to landlords including guidance on available grants and/or loan programs to assist with facilitating improvement of their rental property.
Provide training to landlords with special emphasis on health and safety issues – particularly housekeeping and lead safe practices.
Facilitate and maintain the relationship between the landlord and the agencies participating in the Homeless Services Network.
Work to create an inventory of identified affordable rental housing by providing resources to both landlords and tenants.
Coordinate inspection of rental unites as required by funder.
Deliver training to both landlords and tenants, providing education on all aspects of apartment selection and rights/responsibilities to both tenants and landlords.
Maintain a directory of client’s information including workshop attendance, rental requests and payments, and program participation.
Have awareness of the local rental market and affordable housing options.
Represent PathStone at meetings, conferences and other relevant forums concerned with issues affecting the operation of housing counseling programs.
Develop budgets for class trainings.
Other duties as assigned.