Housing Specialist

Housing Specialist

Ana's Place is a 108 bed 24/7 emergency shelter for homeless men diagnosed with mental illness and/or substance abuse. Our comprehensive services include case management, individual and group counseling, recreational activities and housing placement assistance. Additionally, psychiatric services are provided Monday through Friday, staffed by a psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, and a licensed practical nurse.

The essential duties of the Housing Specialist include but are not limited to the following activities:

• Utilizing vacancy rosters provided by the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS) and other housing providers identifies vacancies throughout the five boroughs. It selects possible housing options for clients to apply for placement.
• Reviews, in collaboration with the Case Managers, the application package for each client to be sure documents are complete and the psychological evaluation is current, assists the client in applying to the housing provider, and performs appropriate follow-up on the submitted application.
• Review the Overnight Report daily to become aware of new clients to be scheduled for orientation and to know if any clients have missed curfew and possibly a scheduled appointment for housing placement. Performs appropriate follow-up in either situation.
• Conducts weekly individualized and group meetings for clients, focusing on housing placement issues and guiding them through the housing application process.
• Visits housing providers' facilities to develop and maintain a positive working relationship with them and to get as much information as possible for the clients applying for placement.
• Prepares clients for housing interviews, conducting mock interviews sessions, accompanies them on tours of facilities, and in general coordinates and facilitates the referral process.
• Coordinates escort services for groups of clients going for housing placement interviews.
• Reviews and updates the tracking system for submitted applications, interviews, and selections or denials. Performs follow-up to any denial of housing applications submitted to providers.
• Conducts weekly on-site housing workshops.
• Maintains and participates in the weekly Partners for Permanency (PAP) case management conferences.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Shelter Director.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, but a Master's degree in Social Work is preferred.
• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience working with homeless adults with substance and illicit drug abuse issues with objectives toward securing permanent housing for them.
• Knowledge of low-income housing in New York City as well as special needs housing, including the NY/NY Supportive Housing and Section 8 housing.
• Knowledge of case management software as well as a proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and Excel