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Housing support specialist

Job Title: Housing Support Specialist

Reports To: Housing Services Manager

Position Status: Full-time

Job Summary: Turning Point Rural Housing Project is a scattered site transition-in-place program that promotes consumer choice in housing within the private rental market. The Housing Support Specialist assists with the housing search and placement along with leveraging supportive services that will assist the participant household to maintain permanent housing.

Perform a variety of office and field activities to manage and monitor a transition-in-place program for homeless individuals and families, provide direct client services, and compile related paperwork.

Essential Responsibilities:

Exhibit a belief in non-violence and a willingness to advocate on behalf of victims and their children who are affected by rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, or homelessness in a non-discriminating manner. Exhibit a belief in a Housing First model.
Uphold the belief that delivering the best client services is the agency’s top priority.
Provide on-going emotional support and encouragement to clients.
Develop and maintain a rapport with clients through open and honest communication.
Promote a healthy work environment.
Establish working relationships with area professionals, service providers, and the community at-large focusing on homelessness, sexual assault, and domestic violence while promoting a positive reputation of FOF.
Work as a team member in solving problems and improving service delivery.
Maintain up to date familiarity with agency policy and procedures in order to exercise good judgment in various situations.
Assist the agency in providing public education and training regarding issues of homelessness.
Attend work as scheduled, including but not limited to meeting with participants on a weekly basis, staff meetings, trainings, etc.
Comply with state advocacy training/certification requirements as well as confidentiality as defined by Iowa Code and state coalitions. Achieve and maintain required certification.
Assist in developing and coordinating victim services to reach under-served groups within the FOF service area, including rural elderly, disabled and isolated people.
Comply with agency policies and procedures.
Attend required trainings and maintain required certifications.
Perform other work assignments as requested/needed.

Duties Specific to Housing Support Specialist:

Assess housing barriers of homeless individuals and families to determine housing and service needs.
Answer questions of potential participants and/or community organizations interested in more information about the housing programs.
Develop a housing plan with participants. This shall include the social history information to determine participant’s needs, goals, and eligibility.
Assist participants in locating and securing housing of their choice. Complete housing inspections and submit recommendation for housing placement approval to the Housing Services Manager and the Executive Director.
Verify household income and provide recommendation of continued monthly rent assistance from program.
Request and obtain written pre-approval for program expenditures related to participant supportive services.
Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. participant, landlord, referral sources, collaborating agencies, debtors, etc.)
Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on the participant’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and/or maintain housing. Serve as an ongoing liaison between property managers/landlords and participants.
Provide information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
Assist in development of and encourage adherence to a personal budget through proactive housing and budget counseling sessions. Provide budget counseling and education to assist participants in establishing payment plans for bills and past debts.
Assist participants in development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
Develop an effective, timely referral network in order to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
Conduct quarterly assessments to identify participant strengths and barriers to stability and assist participants in reducing barriers and linking to resources and services.
Take an active role in all home visits and follow up meetings to ensure stability and further progress towards self-sufficiency; this includes support, advocacy, reducing isolation, listening, problem solving, and identification of resources.
Utilize creative techniques, including the use of technology, to communicate with clients who are housed throughout the region.
Apply knowledge of landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities to educate participants of their rights and responsibilities.
Maintain comprehensive case notes, files, and appropriate documentation of services in each participant case files, per HUD audit requirements. Paperwork must be completed and in the files within 7 days of contact. This includes, but is not limited to intake, discharge, and follow-up paperwork and documentation.
Transport participants as deemed necessary. Transportation requirements should be limited to housing and job searches and occasional visit to relevant social service agencies.
Collect and report program data, including but not limited to HMIS reporting and funders’ required data. Maintain/track participant data for entry in the HUD Annual Progress Report (APR).
Understand and adapt to service changes in the field at the local, state, or national level.
Participate in agency needs assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and grant writing as coordinated by the Housing Director or Executive Director.
Represent FOF at community and other program development meetings as requested.
Assist in on-going coordination and management of the donations given to FOF from community persons and ensure timely distribution to any FOF participants.

Position Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field. Documented casework experience may be substituted for degree.
Prefer previous experience in working with homeless populations and domestic violence program and demonstrated competency in crisis networking and crisis intervention skills.
Must demonstrate concepts of how to organize, prioritize and plan work to meet deadlines, establish and monitor casework plans, data collection principles and utilize confidentiality requirements.
Must demonstrate knowledge of Microsoft Office Software and basic computer skills.
Ability to drive and travel throughout the nine county service areas to provide support services as needed.

If interested, please apply at https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/KPAY1002900000.careers?CareersSearch by Friday, June 5. For questions, please contact KarLee, Housing Services Manager, at [email protected] or 319-352-1108 ext. 102

Housing Resource specialist

Job Title: Housing Resource Specialist

Reports To: Outreach Services Manager

Position Status: Full-time

Job Summary: Provides housing and emergency sheltering services to individuals/families who are experiencing housing instability or homelessness because of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or human trafficking. Works specifically with the Emergency Solutions Grant and maintains all funding requirements.

Agency Functions

Exhibit a belief in non-violence and a willingness to advocate on behalf of populations affected by homelessness and violence in a non-discriminating manner.
Support and drive FOF’s mission and vision.
Uphold the belief that quality client services are the top priority.
Agree to work in alignment with the agency’s core values.
Maintain a working knowledge of laws, codes, funding requirements, and services standards that impact the programs you work within.
Maintain confidentiality of clients as defined by Iowa Code and state coalitions.
Assist in developing and coordinating victim services to reach under-served groups within the FOF service area, including but not limited to elderly, disabled, immigrant, LGBTQ, and isolated people.
Establish working relationships with area professionals, service providers and the community at-large while promoting a positive reputation of FOF. Assist the agency in providing public education and training
Maintain up to date familiarity and compliance with agency policy and procedures in order to exercise good judgment in various situations.
Maintain accurate data and submit reports, including statistical data, as required.
Promote a healthy work environment.
Attend FOF staff and program meetings as scheduled.
Perform other work assignments as requested/needed.
Participate in agency needs assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and grant writing as coordinated by the Outreach Service Manager, Director of Operations, or Executive Director.
Assist in on-going coordination and management of the donations given to FOF from community persons and ensure timely distribution to any FOF participants.
Manage time and schedule independently.

Housing Resource Specialist Functions

Victim/Survivor Advocacy

Exhibits an in-depth understanding of the intersection between domestic violence and homelessness
Provide services with an understand that a person’s intersection of identities affects their access to services and risk experiencing domestic violence/sexual assault/human trafficking.
Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. participant, landlord, referral sources, collaborating agencies, etc.)
Provide information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
Assist participants in development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes safe, permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
Develop an effective, timely referral network in order to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
Transport participants as deemed necessary. Transportation requirements should be limited to emergency shelter, housing, and occasional needs directly relating to the client’s DV/SA.
Utilize creative techniques, including the use of technology, to communicate with clients who are housed across the region.
Assisting team with providing emergency sheltering services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault utilizing a standard assessment tool to identify emergency need. Emergency sheltering services include but are not limited to:
- Safe Room located at Waypoint’s Madge Phillips Center in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Friend’s House in Waverly, IA
- Scattered hotel/motel voucher program
- Scattered volunteer-run Safe Homes
Coordinate the purchase of bus tickets and other emergency needs for sheltered clients to relocate to their area of choice and safety.
Complete appropriate documentation to facilitate and implement emergency shelter and housing options for clients in Northeast Iowa.

Housing Support & Advocacy

Facilitate and coordinate a Housing First, Rapid Rehousing program in assigned area to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in identifying and navigating housing options and resources in the communities in which they wish to reside in or relocate to.
Maintain necessary training identified by FOF. This includes maintaining an up to date Advanced Domestic Violence Advocate Certification.
Encompass and provide trauma informed, survivor driven, mobile advocacy, and provide practical temporary financial assistance, which increases safety and stabilization in the survivor’s identified housing placement
Assess housing barriers of victims of DV/SA/HT and their families, who are facing homelessness to determine housing and service needs and develop a housing plan with survivors seeking housing support.
Assist in development of and encourage adherence to a personal budget through proactive housing and budget counseling sessions. Verify monthly income. Provide budget counseling and education to assist participants in establishing payment plans for bills and past debts.
Meet with program participants weekly and take an active role to link to resources and services, ensure stability and progress, provide support and advocacy, reduce isolation, listen, and problem solve.
Complete housing inspections and submit recommendation for housing placement approval to the Outreach Services Manager and the Executive Director.
Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on the participant’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and/or maintain housing. Serve as an ongoing liaison between property managers/landlords and participants.
Apply knowledge of landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities to educate participants of their rights and responsibilities.
Document meeting case notes & maintain client files and other appropriate documentation of services per CVAD or ESG audit requirements. Paperwork must be completed and in the files within 7 days of contact. This includes, but is not limited to intake, discharge, and follow-up paperwork and documentation.

Community Engagement & Outreach

Answer questions of potential participants and/or community organizations interested in more information about the rapid rehousing program/emergency shelter program.
Collect and report program data, including but not limited to program success and follow-up tracking, data required by funders, etc.
Understand and adapt to service changes in the field at the local, state, or national level.
Represent FOF at community and other program development meetings as requested.

Emergency Solutions Grant Responsibilities

Work within the Coordinated Entry system in the 14-county region FOF serves.
Ensure that the ESG program spots are filled through the Coordinated Entry system. While managing the client assistance budget to confirm spending tracking.
Provide required training deemed by the state Coordinated Entry guidelines.
Manage all Service Point data entry for both the Shelter & Outreach program.
Pull monthly Service Point reports & maintain accurate data management and submit to Outreach Services Manager.
Audit ESG program files & confirm compliance with required documentation.
Update yearly the utility allowances used to calculate FMR through local housing authorities.
Update yearly AMI (Area Median Income) guidelines needed for Rapid Rehousing Program.
Meet all requirements set forth in FOF Emergency Solutions Grant operating manual.
Build and maintain Landlord Retention & Recruitment programming in the 14-county region to increase quick access to housing placement.

Position Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in social work, psychology, related field OR combination of equivalent education and experience.
Previous experience in the following preferred: victim services, crisis intervention,
Must demonstrate ability to organize, prioritize and plan work to meet deadlines; behavior management techniques, confidentiality and observation/recording techniques.
Ability to complete mandatory training to qualify as a victim advocate within 30 days of employment.
Ability to travel throughout the 14- county service area to provide in-person advocacy services and to other locations within the state as necessary for training purposes.
Ability to pass state, federal, and child abuse background checks.

If interested, please apply at https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/KPAY1002900000.careers?CareersSearch by Monday, June 8. For questions, please contact Carrie, Outreach Services Manager, at [email protected] or 319-352-1108 ext. 200