HRA Specialist

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 manner that is professional and inspires open communication.
• Help to create and maintain a respectful workplace culture and champions equity and inclusion.
• Participate in citywide training designed to strengthen competencies in areas such as communications, leadership, decision-making and problem solving.

Administer and implement all daily and technical functions of Plymouth’s rental assistance programs.

• 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 such a manner that all information is understandable to the client.
• Review with each applicant and client all information contained in briefing packets and assist as necessary in the completion of forms.
• Issue vouchers to qualified applicants in accordance with Administrative Plan as funding allows; brief applicants to whom vouchers are issued on program rules.
• Brief owners and prepare housing assistance payment contracts.
• Communicate with clients and unit owners as necessary to update them on program rules and to resolve problems for the rental housing programs.
• Conduct certification/recertification and interim interviews and computes tenant and housing assistance payments for the Housing Choice Voucher and Bring it Home programs.
• Process monthly and mid-month housing assistance payments and prepares payment register for finance.
• Assist others with the approval process through HUD 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 national standards for the physical inspection of real estate (NSPIRE) compliance in a timely manner.
• Process and prepare files for informal hearings.
• Analyze data and update annual utility allowance schedule.
• 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,…