Senior Housing Specialist

Hope Solutions•Pleasant Hill, CA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

Hope Solutions, a non-profit agency founded in 1991, provides permanent housing and support services to homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. The organization envisions a world where everyone has a home and community support to live with dignity. Hope Solutions is committed to excellence, integrity, respect, compassion, and humility in its mission to heal the effects of poverty and homelessness. The agency is seeking passionate, service-driven individuals to join their team and help make a difference in the lives of others.

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 to local resources up to ½ mile in distance.
Ability to work in a desk setting for up to 3 hours at a time for calls, research, and collaboration.
Ability to 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.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the USA without the need for sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.
Cultural Responsiveness: Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.
Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice and housing justice.
Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility, authenticity, backgrounds, and goals.
Participate in and complete our new employee onboarding process, which includes reading and discussing a short chapter in the book, The Color of Law.

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 for clients.
Work closely with the County Coordinated Entry System to help clients secure and maintain stable housing.
Assist in reducing participant homeless time, increasing exits to permanent housing, and limiting returns to homelessness.
Participate in the hiring process and train new staff on Standards of Practice, documentation, and paperwork.
Support staff in using HMIS/Apricot for data entry, note-taking, and referral tracking.
Provide shadowing opportunities for home visits and fieldwork, exposing new staff to 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.
Act as the point of contact in the manager's absence and participate in contract liaison meetings.
Review, generate, and customize reports in HMIS/Apricot.
Monitor program outcomes using dashboards and reports, addressing key data points.
Manage and track subsidy requests by preparing and submitting them to the manager.
Collaborate on data reviews and 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.
Meet with clients to complete housing needs assessments and create plans for obtaining housing.
Assist with data entry, rental subsidy, program incentive tracking, and tracking/reporting program data.
Assist team members with assessing client needs and service planning.
Assist clients with document readiness (gathering and maintaining verification documents).
Research and identify housing opportunities for clients.
Assist clients in identifying and seeking desirable housing options and mitigating screening barriers.
Provide clients with housing-related resources and information on tenant/landlord rights and responsibilities.
Partner with Department staff and other community partners to ensure coordination of care.
Transport clients to meet with prospective landlords, complete housing applications, and inspect potential units.
Educate clients regarding their rights and responsibilities related to 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 interested parties, including faith communities, rental associations, and property management companies.
Collaborate with brokered housing and property management staff regarding shared housing resources.
Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on clients’ behalf.
Create and maintain communication channels between collaborating parties.
Foster and reinforce an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, and backgrounds.
Professionally represent Hope Solutions in all circumstances.
Comply with legal/ethical professional guidelines for maintaining consumer confidentiality, HIPAA guidelines, consumer rights, and consumer safety.
Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations and Hope Solutions policies and procedures.
Complete required administrative paperwork and reports in a timely and accurate manner.
Attend all required meetings.
Complete required 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.