Housing Support Specialist (Student Services Professional III), Basic Needs & Student Support

California State University, San Bernardino•San Bernardino, CA

9d•$5,540 - $7,893•Onsite

About The Position

The Housing Support Specialist provides urgent, non-clinical case management and housing navigation services for CSUSB students experiencing homelessness. The position is the primary point of contact for emergency housing requests and helps students at the San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses access housing programs, basic-needs resources, and coordinated wraparound support to promote stability, well-being, and academic success. The role conducts initial assessments, develops individualized action plans, coordinates referrals and housing placements, and follows up with students to monitor progress and continuity of care. The specialist works closely with campus departments, Student Housing, community agencies, and the Jovenes College Focused Rapid Rehousing Case Manager. Duties also include administering emergency housing grant requests, maintaining accurate and confidential student records, tracking program activity and expenditures, providing workshops and outreach, and supporting assessment and reporting. The position is temporary for up to one year, with the possibility of further renewal. It is based on campus, with possible travel to the Palm Desert Campus and occasional evening or weekend work.

Requirements

Equivalent to three years of progressively responsible professional student-services work experience; one year in the assigned program area may be preferred but is not required.
A master’s degree in Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, or a directly related field may substitute for one year of experience.
For positions with major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling, a doctorate and appropriate counseling or guidance internship or clinical training may substitute for three years of experience.
Education equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, including or supplemented by upper-division or graduate coursework in job-related counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution.
Thorough knowledge of the principles of individual and group behavior.
General knowledge of Student Services principles, practices, and trends; program-area policies, procedures, and practices; and individual counseling techniques.
General knowledge of, or ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of, the assigned campus’s organizational procedures and activities.
Working knowledge of student-services programs outside the immediately assigned program.
Ability to analyze complex situations and select effective courses of action.
Ability to advise students individually and in groups on complex student-related matters.
Ability to determine appropriate courses of action and techniques for sensitive or argumentative personal interactions.
Ability to interpret and evaluate problems raised by individuals or student organizations, analyze and define problems, draw valid conclusions, and project consequences of alternative actions.
Ability to carry out professionally complex assignments without detailed instructions and maintain cooperative working relationships with a variety of people.
Valid driver’s license; the position participates in the DMV Government Employer Pull Notice Program.
Satisfactory completion of a background check, including a criminal records check.
Must comply with mandated-reporter requirements under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and CSU Executive Order 1083.
Must complete required Campus Security Authority training and reporting duties.
Must reside in California upon hire; the CSU position cannot be performed from outside California.

Nice To Haves

Experience in basic-needs programs, such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, emergency aid, or case management in higher education or community-based settings.
Knowledge of community housing resources, including affordable housing programs, shelters, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing.
Experience with housing navigation, including housing searches, applications, landlord communication, and lease processes.
Familiarity with local, state, and federal housing assistance programs, such as Section 8/Housing Choice Vouchers, Continuum of Care systems, and coordinated entry.
Background in trauma-informed care and working with diverse populations experiencing housing instability or homelessness.
Experience collaborating with community partners, nonprofits, and social-service agencies to coordinate support services.
Ability to provide holistic, student-centered or client-centered support addressing intersecting needs such as mental health, employment, and financial stability.
Strong organizational and case-management skills, including experience tracking outcomes and maintaining accurate records.
Experience working in higher education or supporting students experiencing housing insecurity.

Responsibilities

Respond to urgent or crisis situations; receive referrals and conduct outreach and direct meetings with students to identify challenges affecting housing stability.
Conduct individualized, solution-focused assessments and recommend housing, financial, and other basic-needs resources.
Develop action plans, goals, and benchmarks, and provide follow-up to support coordinated services and housing stability.
Develop creative solutions to resource-related challenges and advocate for students, including providing supporting documentation when needed.
Maintain files and records of student visits, services, referrals, and program efforts, including basic-needs verification in accordance with FERPA and HIPAA standards.
Provide timely documentation on housing-related applications, referrals, and requests, and communicate next steps to students.
Coordinate multidisciplinary case management with campus departments and community agencies; monitor progress, reassess needs, update plans, and support continuity of care.
Facilitate workshops and small-group sessions about Basic Needs services, housing navigation, and life-skills topics.
Collect, analyze, and present data; prepare summary reports as needed or requested by senior administration.
Assist with transporting basic-needs items or essential supplies to campus locations or student placement sites.
Conduct initial assessments for CSU Chancellor’s Office Rapid Rehousing referrals and facilitate referrals and applications to the Jovenes case manager for full intake and assessment.
Analyze complex student circumstances, recommend interventions, and streamline collection of personal and eligibility documentation with appropriate releases of information.
Interpret university, state, and community program requirements to determine student eligibility.
Collaborate with the Jovenes case manager to develop individualized plans and participate in regular case conferences to support student progress and goals.
Coordinate care and communication with campus and Jovenes partners; provide direct student support and follow-up; and prepare progress and outcome updates or summary reports.
Under the administrative oversight of the Basic Needs Director, work with Student Housing staff to facilitate Rapid Rehousing placements and use or establishment of residential contracts.
Work with Student Housing staff to oversee Rapid Rehousing inventory and supplies and support students’ access to additional basic-needs resources.
Track Rapid Rehousing program activity and submit semesterly and summer expenditure reports to the Director to support appropriate use of funds and timely housing reimbursements.
Serve as the primary point of contact for Emergency Housing Grant requests; conduct initial intake assessments and collect supporting documentation in accordance with EHG protocols.
Communicate Emergency Housing Grant policies and procedures and recommend resolutions to process difficulties.
Coordinate with Financial Aid, Residential CSUSB Housing, and other departments to manage Emergency Housing Grant processing.
Support the Director with assessment data collection, presentations, and committee or work-group participation.
Maintain knowledge of basic-needs programs, services, resources, guidelines, and eligibility requirements; update the internal resource database.
Communicate policies, referral guidelines, laws, and regulations related to Rapid Rehousing and other Basic Needs accommodations to faculty, staff, and students.
Assist with materials for marketing, outreach, staff and faculty training, and informational purposes.
Serve on the CARE team and other committee and intervention teams.
Participate in professional training related to case management and housing navigation as needed.
Perform other classification-related duties as assigned.