Occupancy Specialist

Central City Concern • Portland, OR

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Central City Concern is hiring an Occupancy Specialist to maximize the physical and financial utilization of its affordable housing portfolio. The role is an administrative and compliance-focused position responsible for coordinating applicants, occupancy, tenant certifications, leases, and subsidy-related processes. The specialist works closely with property managers, resident services, applicants, housing authorities, and other team members to support stable tenancies for residents, including people with high needs.

The position is based at the Biltmore Hotel, a three-story apartment building in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. Its single-room occupancy units have shared bathroom facilities, and most are subsidized through project-based Section 8. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with weekends off. This is a union-represented position through AFSCME.

Central City Concern is a nonprofit agency serving single adults and families in the Portland metro area who are impacted by homelessness, poverty, and addictions. The organization describes its mission as ending homelessness through outcome-based strategies that support individuals and the community.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• One year of property management experience, preferably in affordable housing management; or two years of related experience, including direct customer service with renters or tenants.
• Familiarity with Oregon Landlord/Tenant and Fair Housing laws and practices.
• Working knowledge of MS Office and the ability to compose business forms and letters and create spreadsheets.
• Ability to use spreadsheet functions for basic sorting, filtering, mathematical operations, and date-related operations.
• Sufficient composition and grammar skills to write business letters, report summaries, and technical documents.
• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check.
• Ability, with or without reasonable accommodation, to bend, stoop, kneel, squat, reach, pull, lift heavy objects, and climb stairs.
• Ability to follow nondiscrimination policies and interact respectfully with coworkers and clients of diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Direct knowledge and experience performing LIHTC Tenant Income Certifications, including income calculations and verification processing.
• Computation skills sufficient to process and validate LIHTC, HOME, HOPWA, and other tenant certification functions.
• Knowledge and experience with housing and subsidy waitlist practices, regulations, and guidelines.
• Strong familiarity with Fair Housing standards and practices.
• Familiarity with invoicing, accounting, and billing practices related to affordable housing and subsidy payments, or similar practices in another field.
• Proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Access.
• Superior organization skills and ability to develop and maintain complex records and files and process reports required by various agencies.
• Ability to prioritize and multitask in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, manage time, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing, with applicants, outside agencies, and internal staff.
• Knowledge of, or ability to be trained in, effective de-escalation techniques.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Direct experience with LIHTC tenant certification.
• Familiarity with spreadsheet conditional logic and Office mail-merge functions.
• Familiarity with Yardi Voyager software.
• Experience with Home Forward or another housing authority.
• Knowledge of chemical dependency and recovery processes.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate approved applicants and available units to maximize occupancy across assigned properties.
• Prepare residential leases and related documents.
• Coordinate waitlists and application processing for Section 8-subsidized units, including helping applicants prepare Home Forward documents and scheduling with Home Forward.
• Process income verification documents and prepare Tenant Income Certifications in accordance with funding agreements.
• Post tenant and subsidy rent payments, security deposits, and other revenue items in the property management database.
• Maintain move-in schedules and coordinate with staff to facilitate workflow.
• Prepare and maintain orderly tenant files and documentation.
• Prepare periodic reports on building occupancy and tenant certification, and assist with other data processing.
• Manage the Resident Reasonable Accommodation/Modification procedure.
• Provide backup for other Occupancy Specialists, Administrative Assistants, and Compliance Specialists during absences or peak work periods.
• Follow applicable state and federal privacy and security regulations and CCC confidentiality policies, and promptly report breaches of protected health information or personal identification information.
• Perform other special projects and duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Student loan repayment options.
• Retirement savings plan with employer matching: 4.25% in the first year, 6% in the second year, and 8% in the third year.
• Paid life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.
• Paid time off beginning at four weeks of accrual per year, with accrual increasing with longevity.
• Up to 11 recognized holidays and 2 personal holidays, depending on work shift schedule.
• Sabbatical program offering extended time off at years 7, 14, and 21.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: High school or GED