Re-Entry Stability Specialist

SUMMARY

This position works with individuals exiting prison, who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing. The Stability Specialist will work to find housing, outreach to participants in their homes and in the community, assist with emergency moves, act as liaison between landlord and tenant, and assist in the education and communication between the participant and their case manager.

• Outreaches to participants in order to assist them with retaining or finding housing.
• Receives and responds to referrals from EDEN staff, partnering agency staff, landlords, concerned citizens, governmental offices, etc. in a timely manner.
• Maintains/organizes referrals for outreach service/outcomes in a database and reports statistics regularly to supervisor/agency.
• Educates and orients new participants on the various subsidy programs that EDEN administers.
• Works directly with participants, subsidy program staff, property managers, department managers, as well as with partnering agencies to arrange needed support for participants.
• Discusses housing barriers and develops solutions to overcoming these barriers with participants.
• Assists participants with identifying housing options and if needed, accompanies them to view potential units.
• Develops and maintains relationships with landlords in the community by networking and searching for housing through websites, periodicals and in communities while promoting EDEN's subsidy programs.
• Conducts housing inspections to ensure compliance with HUD's Housing Quality Standards.
• Assists Housing Eligibility Specialists and Property Managers in outreaching to participants who are severely impaired, have a severe mental illness, physically disabled, temporarily hospitalized and/or non-compliant or without housing options.
• Handles sensitive communication with social service agencies/landlords/tenants regarding matters pertaining to participants and their ongoing tenancy and/or participation in EDEN's subsidy programs.
• Assists in the completion of bi-annual United Way statistical and narrative reports, as requested.
• Participates in monthly Housing Subsidy Programs Department meetings and follows up on individual and group projects, as assigned.
• Provides back-up to other Housing Stability Specialists in their absence or when needs require it.
• Maintains awareness of new developments in the field by establishing personal networks, reading professional literature and attending conferences and seminars.
• Contributes to team efforts by assisting with other duties, as assigned.

• Adheres to EDEN's core values of communication, teamwork, respect, empowerment, good will, accountability, inclusion, and trust during all activities and presentations to meet agency, department, and individual goals.
• Adheres to EDEN Inc.'s policies and procedures.
• Strives to improve work processes within and across agency departments.
• Meets or exceeds the expectations of internal and external customers.
• Is accountable for the results of work conducted on individual and collaborative levels.
• Adheres to ethical, confidential and professional standards and requirements of federal and state laws, as well as the policies of licensing and credentialing boards and funders.

A bachelor's degree in social services related field is required. Two years of background work in the social services field, including experience working with individuals with criminal backgrounds is preferred.

Ability to work to overcome housing barriers. Ability to follow-up, connecting participants to landlords, as well as to resources in the community. Strong problem-solving skills required. Experience working with re-entry adults preferred.

Must have a valid driver's license, reliable automobile and insurance. Transportation of participants will be required.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand; walk; talk or hear, in person, in meetings, and by telephone; use hands to handle, feel, or operate standard office equipment; use fingers to type; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; and occasionally perform other motions including stooping, kneeling; and bending. The nature of work requires an ability to lift up to 25 lbs.

The ability to drive a motorized vehicle is also required. As per EDEN Inc.'s policy, EDEN will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship.

The majority of duties are performed at headquarters although the job requires frequent travel to off-site locations and meetings including EDEN's PSH projects. The majority of work is performed in a climate-controlled general office environment with minimal noise. Hours of work may exceed normal business hours during peak periods. Potential job conditions include eyestrain from extensive computer…