Rental Assistance Counselor
About The Position
Christopher Community, Inc. (CCINC) is seeking a Full-Time Rental Assistance Counselor to join its growing organization in Syracuse, NY. CCINC is a not-for-profit Housing Development and Property Management company dedicated to helping low- and moderate-income families and seniors find suitable housing across Upstate New York. With a portfolio of over 3,300 units in more than 100 buildings, CCINC also administers the Rental Assistance Program in Onondaga County, supporting over 1,200 households. Since 1971, CCINC has established a strong reputation for developing and operating affordable housing, consistently receiving high ratings for property management from government and private entities. The organization offers competitive wages and generous benefits.
Requirements
- Associate degree with 2 years of experience related to public or private housing management is preferred.
- Certified Occupancy Specialists (COS) certification is desired; must acquire within 60 days of hire.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and be able to communicate effectively with a diverse population.
- Excellent time management skills are necessary.
- Must demonstrate strong attention to detail.
- Must have ability to follow through while working under stressful conditions.
- Must be able to work independently, maintain confidentiality, and utilize crisis intervention techniques.
- Must have ability to perform basic mathematical calculations and must be proficient using excel.
- Basic personal computer skills that include the ability to send/receive e-mail messages, post information to a database or spreadsheet, and perform basic word processing, bookkeeping, and/or data entry.
- Employees should be trained in the use of a tablet or similar device for daily tasks.
Nice To Haves
- Ability to speak Spanish is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Conducts intake meetings to determine final eligibility of household to participate in the Rental Assistance Program to receive a Housing Choice Voucher from the waiting list and after completing the pre-screening review/meeting.
- Interviews new and current participants to obtain data regarding income and household expenses and collects documents of proof, then verifies information is accurate by checking directly with sources.
- Schedules/Coordinates the briefing meeting with eligible households and issues vouchers.
- Determines initial and continued eligibility of participating households including annual recertification.
- Mediates tenant and landlord conflicts regarding issues with housing quality standards.
- Enters and manages the rental assistance program database software.
- Completes all tenant certification and compliance reports; including Enterprise Income Verification (EIV).
- Coordinates with Housing Inspector to schedule unit inspections for initial inspection, re-inspection, and annual inspection.
- Performs complex calculation of sources of income, assets, deductions, etc. to determine eligibility.
- Calculates rent and housing assistance payments.
- Prepares Housing Assistance Payment contracts.
- Maintains tenant and client files.
- Assists landlords with completing forms for lease and contract renewals to receive rental subsidies.
- Prepares correspondence dealing with rental assistance applications, participant selection, program regulation, and related activities.
- Performs other tasks and special projects as assigned.
- Regular attendance is required.
Benefits
- 35-hour work week with flexible schedule
- 15 Days Paid Time Off (PTO) - Vacation, Personal & Sick Days; increased to 30 PTO days after 1st Year!
- 14 Paid Holidays (plus 2 floating holidays of your choice)
- Retirement Match for 403(b) retirement plan
- Company contribution to Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
