Senior Housing Specialist

Hope Solutions•Pleasant Hill, CA

8d•$30 - $35•Hybrid

About The Position

Hope Solutions, founded in 1991, is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing permanent housing and support services to homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. The agency envisions a world where everyone has a home and community support to live with dignity. Hope Solutions' mission is to heal the effects of poverty and homelessness by offering permanent housing and vital support services to vulnerable populations. The organization is seeking passionate, service-driven individuals who believe in the potential of others to join their team.

Requirements

Knowledge of and belief in "Housing First" philosophy and strategies.
Passion for and demonstrated experience successfully supporting vulnerable populations, especially homeless clients with mental disabilities.
BA degree in social work or related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
Minimum of two years’ experience in the human service field, preferably with housing retention barriers such as substance abuse, mental health, and/or income challenges.
Knowledge or willingness to learn HUD requirements, including tenant certifications and/or experience working with HUD-funded properties.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Computer proficiency in the use of Microsoft and database applications.
Must have an operational vehicle, auto insurance, valid California driver’s license, and be willing to drive for work.
Must pass LiveScan screening and TB test.
Ability to climb stairs to make home visits to consumers in second or third-floor apartments.
Ability to accompany consumers on walks up to ½ mile to local resources.
Ability to work in a desk setting for up to 3 hours at a time for calls, internet research, and collaboration.
Ability to perform office setting activities such as typing, data entry, copying, and faxing.
Ability to occasionally lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
Ability to drive an automobile and transport oneself and consumers to appointments or meet at consumer homes, including driving at night.

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide case management, housing navigation, advocacy, and financial support (rent and move-in assistance) to clients.
Assess client goals and match them with safe, sustainable housing options.
Conduct outreach and engagement with landlords and property owners to identify housing opportunities.
Work with community resources to place homeless individuals and families into suitable housing.
Collaborate with the County Coordinated Entry System to secure and maintain stable housing for clients.
Meet program goals of reducing participant homeless time, increasing exits to permanent housing, and limiting returns to homelessness.
Assist the Program Manager with onboarding new staff, including hiring processes, training on Standards of Practice (SOPs), documentation, and HMIS/Apricot usage.
Provide shadowing opportunities for fieldwork, assessments, intakes, resource connections, follow-ups, exits, and landlord interactions.
Train and assist staff with program-specific paperwork, contract liaison forms, and filing/documentation processes.
Maintain relationships with contract liaisons and referral sources, acting as a point of contact in the manager's absence.
Review, generate, and customize reports in HMIS/Apricot to support team work.
Monitor program outcomes using dashboards and reports, addressing key data points.
Manage and track subsidy requests, preparing and submitting them for approval.
Participate in quarterly data and finance meetings.
Provide ongoing support to staff, offering guidance and feedback.
Serve as the point of contact when the manager is unavailable.
Attend community and external meetings on behalf of Hope Solutions, creating agendas, hosting discussions, and taking notes.
Complete housing needs assessments and create plans for obtaining safe, sustainable housing.
Assist with data entry, rental subsidy, program incentive tracking, and program data tracking/reporting.
Assist team members with assessing client needs and service planning.
Assist clients with document readiness (gathering verification documents for housing applications).
Research and identify housing opportunities for clients.
Assist clients in identifying and seeking desirable housing options and mitigating screening barriers.
Provide applicants with housing-related resources and information on tenant/landlord rights and responsibilities.
Partner with Department staff and other community partners for coordination of care.
Transport clients to meet with prospective landlords, complete housing applications, and inspect potential units.
Educate clients on their rights and responsibilities regarding residential leases.
Work with community partners to assess housing barriers and client needs.
Maintain relationships with community service providers, Probation referral sources, and Coordinated Entry programs.
Develop outreach and marketing strategies to identify landlords and build housing inventory.
Present to various audiences about housing opportunities.
Collaborate with brokered housing and property management staff regarding shared housing resources.
Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on behalf of clients.
Maintain communication channels between tenants, landlords, referral sources, service agencies, debtors, and creditors.
Demonstrate awareness and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences.
Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to social justice and housing justice concepts.
Foster an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility, authenticity, backgrounds, and goals.
Participate in new employee onboarding, including reading and discussing "The Color of Law."
Professionally represent Hope Solutions in all circumstances.
Comply with legal/ethical professional guidelines for maintaining consumer confidentiality, HIPAA, consumer rights, and consumer safety.
Comply with local, state, and federal regulations and Hope Solutions policies.
Complete administrative paperwork and reports accurately and in a timely manner.
Attend all required meetings.
Complete personnel-related paperwork and expenditure reports.
Document all services provided in a timely manner.
Assist with data generation for reports and funding applications.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Be available for on-call, after-hours, and backup work as required.