Housing navigator, Social Work

The Housing Navigator provides intensive housing case management to participants in Housing Choice Voucher Programs, with a focus on clients experiencing high levels of difficulty in navigating the intricacies of applying for and maintaining assisted housing. The Housing Navigator performs eligibility interviews, determinations, inspections, unit transfers, and interim and annual reexaminations as well as providing landlord support and general client support with the goal of continued housing.

• Provides excellent customer service to both internal and external customers.
• Serves as the main housing liaison and advocate between local Continuum of Care (CoC), Front Door Coordinated Entry partners, landlords, housing specialists, applicants, and clients
• Responsible for receiving and assessing referrals from Front Door
• Provides intensive support to help clients rent and live successfully in the private housing market including assisting the client in gathering required documents; mitigating barriers such as transportation, credit reports, utility arrears and unfavorable landlord references; and assisting in problem resolution with landlords and program participants
• Conducts pre-lease briefing sessions
• Advocates on client’s behalf regarding leasing issues and compliance with regulatory and lease requirements
• Performs initial housing inspections and re-inspections for compliance with federal housing quality standards (HQS/NSPIRE-V)
• Conducts landlord recruitment and outreach to encourage renting to clients receiving housing assistance
• Assists client households related to financial management and household budgeting
• Processes initial lease-ups, unit transfers, interim and annual reexaminations for housing assistance
• Interviews participants for recertifications, explains housing program obligations, verifies information on the reexamination/recertification forms, and determines continued eligibility of participants
• Calculates Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) payment amounts, tenant rents and utility reimbursements
• Negotiates repayment agreements for approval by the Program Manager
• Issues Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) to applicants, clients requesting to move, clients exercising portability options, or who require a smaller or larger unit
• Responds to landlord inquiries and concerns about specific contracts and the HCV programs in general
• Initiates and executes HAP contracts
• Initiates Termination of Assistance of families for non-compliance, non-performance, or other grounds in conformance with established Housing Authority policy and procedures
• Maintains participant and landlord files and documents historical record for each participant file
• Generates and mails correspondence or notices to landlords and participants for appointments, changes in rent, termination of assistance, etc.
• Prepares and distributes incoming/outgoing mail and files necessary information into client’s files
• Provides data entry for all adjustments or changes to participant data
• Prepares monthly reports to advise supervisor of caseload status
• Contributes to team effort by accomplishing all other duties assigned
• Safely operates a vehicle in the performance of job related duties.
• Other duties as assigned.

• AA degree, or 60 completed college credits
• Two (2) years of relevant experience in social services, public agencies, or property leasing/management
• A Valid Driver's License
• Or any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the above Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, public administration, psychology, political science or related field
• Social service experience with direct client interactions
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of legal, ethical, and…