Sr. Housing Specialist

Senior Housing Specialist

Under supervision of the Assistant Director, the Senior Housing Specialist acts as interim supervisor in the absence of the Assistant and performs a variety of duties in providing assistance to low to moderate-income families in securing affordable housing within HUD regulations and guidelines.

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Acts as interim supervisor in the absence of the Assistant Director.

Meet high customer service standards, including prompt return of phone calls and handling walk-in clients, according to protocol standards. Cooperate with other agencies in order to evaluate and/or assist in the maintenance of housing choice voucher participations.

Provides training and oversight for all HCV new personnel and incumbents; clarifies policy, procedures and regulations to support program compliance.

Review, monitor, assist, and correct Housing Specialists' monthly re-certifications to ensure completion, termination and/or submission are in-line with monthly submission target date for submission of records to HUD.

Conduct research/investigation necessary to verify income, child support expenses, child-care expenses, medical expenses, all other qualifying factors to complete required Federal forms.

Processes all verified data for initial, annual or interim changes to family composition, income, and rent payment; update in the computer system in a timely manner to prepare HUD 50058 in accordance with HUD regulations.

Verify family composition to ensure voucher bedroom size equals occupancy standards. Follow procedure for relocation or correction of voucher size if indicated.

Create and review admissions files as needed; review applications submitted by project sponsors; run criminal checks; obtain and review income and disability verifications; determine basic eligibility for the program.

Meet with program participants to conduct intake briefings. Issue vouchers to participants at the point of their admission to the program and before every move to a new unit.

Counsel participants about how subsidy is calculated, how much rent they can afford to pay based on affordability restrictions, and their obligations under the program.

Ensure completeness of processing files for move-ins, other change of units, annual re-certifications, interims, voucher issuance packages, portability packets, terminations, etc.

Verify files are complete, accurate, and in correct order. Information is recorded clearly and legibly and all given to the Records Management Specialist within an established time frame.

Assist staff with processing annual contract renewals and builds a portfolio of reasonable comparable rents.

Determine participant eligibility for portability to other jurisdictions by communicating with other housing authorities about portability process to include billing/absorption, payment standards, occupancy standards, etc.

Develop and maintain relationships with case management, service providers and/or landlords in community. Evaluate the needs of participants for appropriate referral to other service providers

Answer questions and explain program goals and requirements to assure understanding by landlords and participants.

Notifies landlords and tenants of responsibility to conform to Housing Quality Standards.

Performs other related essential duties as required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED; supplemented by HUD training and one to two years' relevant work experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Special Requirements

Successfully complete HCV Occupancy, Eligibility, Income, Rent Calculation and Housing Quality Standards training within twelve months.

Physical Requirements

Ability to operate a variety of automated office machines including typewriter, calculator, copier, desktop and laptop computers, telephone, system, fax machine, etc.

Ability to utilize departmental software including CCS, Word Perfect, Excel, Google sheets, Google docs and others.

Ability to exert physical effort in sedentary to light work involving routine stooping, kneeling, crouching, and reaching; tasks require visual perception and discrimination.

Mathematical Ability

Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to…