Housing Specialist

Help USA•New York, NY

10d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Housing Specialist with HELP USA, you will be responsible for helping clients find housing while achieving self-sufficiency. This role requires strong relationship management skills and the ability to set expectations with clients, real estate brokers, landlords, other service providers, and colleagues. You will guide clients through housing programs, assist with housing searches, provide referrals to housing resources, and advocate on their behalf with landlords and brokers. Additionally, you will coach clients on apartment searching, landlord interviews, completing housing forms, and activating utilities.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent OR equivalent experience and skills.
Outstanding customer service and conflict management skills.
Willingness to coordinate and cooperate as part of a multidisciplinary client service team.
Strong communications skills, both written and oral.
Ability to take initiative, be dependable and resourceful, and pay keen attention to detail.
Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple priorities concurrently in a time-sensitive manner.
High ethical standards and personal integrity to ensure compliance with requirements and policies of HELP USA as well as regulatory agencies and funders.
Commitment to the mission of HELP USA to help people in need of housing and to end homelessness.
Computer literacy with Microsoft applications required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in housing placement services is strongly preferred.
Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.
Valid US Driver’s License a plus.

Responsibilities

Conducting housing intake and assessment interviews for new residents.
Completing the housing portion of the independent living plan, including re-assessments and revisions.
Meeting with clients regularly to guide their search for permanent and/or supportive housing.
Determining housing needs and barriers, identifying qualifying programs, and making referrals to specific housing options.
Assisting with the completion of housing applications and ensuring timely submission.
Accompanying clients to view apartments and assisting with move-ins into supportive and/or permanent housing.
Advocating on behalf of clients with landlords, attending lease signings, and ensuring utilities are turned on.
Keeping up-to-date on changes to housing subsidy programs and attending relevant trainings.
Networking and reaching out to identify and develop new housing resources with brokers and landlords.
Actively participating in interdisciplinary team case conferences.
Ensuring all housing-related documentation is recorded in the case management system in a timely, organized, and complete manner.
Developing and presenting housing workshops and arranging forums with outside providers on topics related to securing permanent housing and self-sufficiency.