Housing Specialist

Housing Specialist

The Housing Specialist supports SSVF program participants with their search for appropriate permanent housing that meets their needs, preferences and desired outcomes. They adhere to a Housing First model, advocating for veterans' access to permanent housing to facilitate housing placement and retention. The Housing Specialist provides individualized housing counseling to all participants in the program and delivers other core housing-focused services.

This staff member recruits, cultivates and maintains a network of landlords and other real estate partners to support veteran families' access to units, completes documentation, housing applications, subsidy and voucher forms, conducts apartment inspections and performs other tasks related to housing search, placement and retention. They serve as a vital member of the SSVF team.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide housing counseling to program participants, including all steps from identifying an appropriate housing unit to securing the lease.
• Review/research available market rate and subsidized housing units that match a participant's housing budget and needs.
• Evaluate options that fit rent reasonableness for each unique household.
• Negotiate rents and lease terms (when possible) with landlords.
• Appeal tenant selection decisions.
• Conduct and document housing inspections and assess units using the Habitability Standards of the SSVF program.
• Assist in the drafting and processing of Temporary Financial Assistance, providing deposits and first month's rent.
• Support and review tenant applications and leases, supporting their signing of leases and devising move in plans with the SSVF team.
• Deliver housing guidance and navigation which may include educating the Veteran household on such things as local housing options, standard lease requirements, fair housing laws, landlord and tenant rights and relationships, reasonable accommodations, lead paint laws, home maintenance, and efficient use of home systems such as heat.
• Work with the SSVF team to support participants to devise household budgets and plan a schedule for regular and timely rent payments.
• Optimize Veteran access to decent housing opportunities; build expertise on the availability of both affordable, private market rate units and publicly subsidized, affordable housing.
• Cultivate a network of willing local landlords and their management companies as well as carry out efforts to maintain and expand that network over time.
• Research, via CoC resources, information clearinghouses and online locators, housing programs dedicated to Veterans, to households exiting homelessness, for low and extremely low-income households in general, and to special populations such as persons who are elderly or with disabilities.
• Be knowledgeable of admissions preferences established in any and all subsidized housing.
• Engage program participants by maintaining regular contact to monitor and track progress and response to services, including home visits and field work.
• Establish linkages and maintain solid working relationships with permanent housing providers, real estate brokers, managing agents, and landlords as a resource for participants.
• Conduct daily outreach and engagement with landlords, property owners and providers of permanent housing, including frequent fieldwork, phone calls, canvassing, etc.
• Assess veteran families' barriers to obtaining and maintaining affordable permanent housing.
• Provide supportive social services including individual and group counseling, workshops, education, referrals, and escorting in an effort to prepare veterans for successfully securing and maintaining permanent housing.
• Prepare and assist participants with the housing and voucher application/interview process. Attend and escort participants to viewings, landlord interviews and other housing-focused meetings in the field.
• Provide accurate, complete, and timely documentation of the provision of supportive services and participant progression/regression toward the goals of securing permanent affordable housing.
• Track, monitor, and report housing placement rates for all participant families.
• Assist the SSVF…