Authority County Jackson | Counseling

2026 Housing Authority County Jackson | Housing Counseling

The Housing Counseling VISTA will serve with the Housing Authority of the County of Jackson, Illinois (JCHA) in Murphysboro, IL from September . JCHA is part of the Housing Counseling Corps initiative of Housing Action Corps, an Ameri Corps VISTA program managed by Housing Action Illinois since 2010. Housing Counseling Corps members receive custom training, support, networking, and post-service employment opportunities in the housing counseling field, in addition to the traditional benefits of Ameri Corps VISTA.

Learn more: housingactionil.org/americorps. JCHA is dedicated to providing quality, affordable housing and fostering economic self-sufficiency among low-income families. In Jackson County, over 20% of residents live below the poverty line, and there is limited access to housing counseling services. The Housing Counseling VISTA will help JCHA address the critical need for housing stability in our region by coordinating the development of a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

They will design program infrastructure, create outreach strategies, and establish compliance frameworks for HUD certification that will allow JCHA to provide pre-purchase counseling, rental assistance education, and financial literacy resources to residents in southern Illinois. We are looking for someone who is passionate about community resources and interested in pursuing the housing counseling field. Our ideal candidate demonstrates some knowledge of and enthusiasm for real estate development, housing counseling, home ownership, and financial literacy.

Experience with grant writing, teaching, and curriculum development are a big plus! This position offers a $500 monthly housing & transportation stipend. Further help on this page can be found by clicking here.

Member Duties :
Housing counseling is proven to improve financial literacy, reduce foreclosure rates, and increase long-term housing stability, but there are few housing counseling resources available in southern IL. By becoming a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, JCHA can better support residents in overcoming barriers to affordable housing, but we need a dedicated Housing Counseling VISTA to help us create an implementation plan and establish a sustainable infrastructure for delivering housing counseling services.

The VISTA will develop relationships with local organizations to identify opportunities for collaboration, resource sharing, and client referrals. They will conduct a community needs assessment to define key service priorities and inform the creation of an implementation plan that aligns with HUD certification requirements. Alongside passing the HUD housing counseling certification exam, they will write a program manual, develop an evaluation framework, and train staff.

Program Benefits :
Childcare assistance if eligible , Living Allowance , $500 monthly housing & transportation st , Training , Health Coverage* , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Relocation Allowance .

Terms :

Permits attendance at school during off hours , Car recommended , Permits working at another job during off hours .

Service Areas :

Community Outreach , Housing , Community and Economic Development , Education , Homelessness .

Skills :

General Skills , Team Work , Social Services , Business/Entrepreneur , Non-Profit Management , Teaching/Tutoring , Counseling , Fund raising/Grant Writing , Community Organization , Education , Writing/Editing , Communications , Computers/Technology .