Housing Locator

Volunteers Of America, Utah•Salt Lake City, UT

About The Position

Volunteers of America, Utah is an affiliate of a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization that has served communities across the United States for more than 125 years. Volunteers of America, Utah’s mission is to provide community-supported paths for those who are vulnerable to improve their lives and increase their self-reliance. Our programs serve people experiencing challenges related to mental health, substance use, and homelessness. We encourage all who are passionate about making a difference, including individuals with lived experience, to apply. The Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center exists to meet the distinctive needs of women who are experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, case management, life skills training, and connection to community services and resources. The House 20 Team will serve 20 individuals identified as high utilizers of emergency shelter services. This group often struggles with severe mental health disorders, substance use challenges, or co-occurring conditions, contributing to prolonged shelter stays and housing instability. Position Summary To provide consistent, individualized, and thorough outreach and housing case management services to clients with the end goal of clients transitioning to safe and stable housing quickly and efficiently. Assist guests by performing housing searches, coordinating with other housing departments and programs, and connecting guests to relevant resources in the community as applicable.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
A degree in the field of social services and two years’ experience working in the social services field or any combination of education, experience, and training which provides the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
Must qualify for and pass Utah Department of Human Services Case Management Certification within 60 days of being hired.
Familiarity with Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing and Housing First philosophies and willingness to incorporate them in daily work.
Ability to uphold professional boundaries, confidentiality regulations, and interact in a professional manner with a diverse workforce, clients, and the public.
Ability to utilize Trauma Informed practices to act and make sound decisions within the scope of position responsibilities as well as reach out for supervision for major situations.
Willingness to accept supervision and direction.
Driving is required: must be at least 21 years of age, possess a current driver’s license, have a good driving record and be insurable on the agency liability policy.
Must be able to pass Utah DHHS background screening and pre-employment drug test.
Work is generally performed in an office environment.
Requires using a computer for extended periods of time.
Ability to lift and carry 25 lbs.
Ability to move around the facility and interact with clients for extended periods.

Responsibilities

Client Engagement
Perform Housing searches for Individuals, advocating on their behalf and helping them navigate the housing search, applications, and approval processes.
Identify and target clients who have active housing vouchers, or are in need of housing location services, that are residing in the Women’s Homeless Resource Center in order to provide housing location services.
Determine the Eligibility of housing assistance for clients at the Women’s Homeless Resource Center.
Collaborate with program manager in ensuring program fidelity, documentation accuracy, and intra-agency collaborations.
Ensuring that all paperwork related to client and program services is properly completed, managed confidentially and stored in an appropriate location and submitted in a timely manner.
Ability to maintain working knowledge of the UHMIS system, performing paper and digital intakes, case notes, and file creation.
Daily collaboration with all departments promoting a healthy team environment, regular and ongoing communication with team members, works with team to provide the highest level of client care.
Proactively engages and initiates contact with clients in need of housing assistance.
Provide direct, Trauma Informed Care to clients experiencing homelessness, including creative problem solving, agency and community resource utilization, and network building.
Participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings in order to collaborate with Case Management about client needs.
Evaluate own performance to increase effectiveness as a Housing Locator, and maintain willingness to accept supervision and direction.
Attend work on a punctual, regular and predictable basis.
Landlord Engagement
Creating and building relationships with landlords and properties.
Actively work to educating landlords and properties on our programs, vouchers, and the Housing First Model.
Seeking out, engage, and networking with community partners, landlords, housing authorities, and any other housing resources to find housing options and additional housing resources.
Proactively expand and integrate knowledge of rental and housing resources.
Participate in community meetings, task groups, coalition meetings, as needed in order to expand resource/system knowledge and enhance Housing Location services within the center.
Navigating and completing any necessary paperwork or application processes with landlords to ensure program fidelity.
Work to coordinate application/deposit payments accurately to ensure landlords and properties get paid timely.
Actively promoting best practice.
Demonstrates awareness and desire to understand diverse populations.
Ability to contribute to the Agency's commitment to enhancing awareness and appreciation of diverse ethnic and cultural heritages.
Assist with community education, response, and problem solving around homelessness and housing issues.
A willingness to understand the Housing First model, Progressive Engagement model, harm reduction, and low barrier access to resources is best practice and essential to our mission at Volunteers of America.
Any other duties as assigned

Benefits

Low-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Health savings account.
403b retirement plan with employer match (50% match up to 3%).
Employee Assistance Program for all employees
33 paid days off: 11 observed paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 10 vacation days to start. Vacation increases to 12 days after 1 year, 15 days after 2 years, and more at 5 and 9 years of service.
Sick and vacation time accrue hourly per pay period.
$50,000 in employer-paid life insurance; additional coverage available.
Employer contribution to your Health Savings Account (paid quarterly).
Employee Referral Program including cash bonuses and paid time off.

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