Court Specialist

APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.

The Homelessness Prevention Administration (HPA) works to keep New Yorkers in their homes. HPA works with the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) and many other organizations and City agencies to assist families and individuals in need in obtaining and maintaining stable, affordable housing.

HPA / Prevention Services/Rental/Assistance Unit (RAU) assists in the prevention of homelessness and provides grants under certain conditions to New Yorkers facing housing emergencies, to prevent evictions. Payments are generally made for rent arrears or new apartment expenses and may also be made for mortgage and property tax arrears. RAU may also authorize other expenses related to the emergency, such as moving costs.

RAU’s overall goals are to prevent evictions, and to help applicants/participants remain in their homes.

HPA/ Rental Assistance / Housing Court Unit (HCU) is recruiting for three (3) Associate Benefits Specialist II's to function as a Housing Court Specialists, who will:

• Review and authorize contracted Advocates, and Legal provider’s requests for payment of services provided for representing participants facing eviction for non-payment of rent (to include clients/tenants in receipt of FHEPS, CityFHEPS) related matters; review and assess requests for emergency rental assistance received from Benefit Access Centers (BAC).
• Review the legal provider’s submission and authorize payment of arrears (rent, mortgage, taxes) conduct interviews with family heads to determine the need for emergency rent deposits and verify the information utilizing various databases.
• Work closely with attorneys representing both landlords and tenants, as well as with Housing Court judges, to facilitate, expedite, and negotiate the best course of action to prevent evictions; and consult with HRA Office of Legal Affairs.
• Process requests for authorization of payment of rent arrears to prevent participant’s eviction as well as intervene in emergency cases to prevent evictions.
• Maintain chronological logs of activities in order to record case disposition.
• Complete reports

Hours/Shift: 9am-5pm

Work Location(s):

89-17 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica NY

927 Castleton Ave, Staten Island

• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing either: a) client services. b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above.
• College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described…