HRA Specialist

Role Overview

At the City of Plymouth, we all work together to add quality to life. This mission and our guiding values – CIVIC: customer focus, integrity, visionary, inclusion and connection – shape our work as we advance the City Council’s strategic priority to be a city of choice. We are seeking candidates who are eager to adopt and champion our mission and values.

Provide administrative and technical support for the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s (HRA) rental assistance programs. Disseminate program information and apply appropriate regulations and procedures to determine accurate rent assistance to eligible individuals and families. Assist in the development and administration of the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Bring it Home Rental Assistance Program. Promote a favorable image for the Plymouth HRA and the city.

• Provide exceptional customer service to internal and external customers.
• Interact with others in a professional manner that inspires open communication.
• Help create and maintain a respectful workplace culture that champions equity and inclusion.
• Participate in citywide training designed to strengthen competencies in areas such as communications, leadership, decision‑making and problem‑solving.

• Implement and enforce program regulations and policies.
• Accept and process applications for rental assistance programs, maintaining confidentiality of applications.
• Conduct all new applicant, re‑examination and portability interviews and briefings as scheduled.
• Explain all program information and regulations, eligibility criteria and waiting‑list procedures in an understandable manner to the client.
• Review briefing packets with each applicant and assist as necessary in completing forms.
• Issue vouchers to qualified applicants in accordance with the Administrative Plan and available funding; brief applicants to whom vouchers are issued on program rules.
• Brief owners and prepare housing‑assistance payment contracts.
• Communicate with clients and unit owners to update them on program rules and resolve problems.
• Conduct certification/recertification and interim interviews and compute tenant and housing‑assistance payments for the Housing Choice Voucher and Bring it Home programs.
• Process monthly and mid‑month housing‑assistance payments and prepare payment registers for finance.
• Assist with HUD approval processes for new project‑based units.
• Work with apartment managers to fill new and vacant project‑based units.
• Schedule inspections of units with managers and tenants and follow‑up on repairs to ensure compliance with national standards for the physical inspection of real estate (NSPIRE).
• Process and prepare files for informal hearings.
• Analyze data and update annual utility allowance schedules.
• Process year‑end 1099s for distribution to landlords.
• Respond to telephone calls, in‑person inquiries and correspondence and resolve problems in a courteous and timely manner.
• Conduct inspections for the Housing Choice Voucher program to ensure compliance with program requirements and regulations.
• Provide administrative and technical support to the HRA as assigned by supervisor or HRA Executive Director.
• Make recommendations to supervisor regarding changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Program and Bring it Home Program.
• Represent the city and HRA in meetings with other agencies, organizations and individuals to plan, develop and administer housing programs.
• Keep supervisor promptly informed of significant matters in areas of accountability.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as apparent or assigned.

• Two years of post‑secondary education or equivalent related experience.
• Two years of experience with high‑level administrative work, including administration of complex programs.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive and effective working relationships with city officials; apartment managers and/or owners and the general public, particularly with low‑ and moderate‑income clients.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally, graphically, and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize a computer for word…