Advocate Emergency Voucher; EHV

Housing Advocate 2 [Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)]

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) is a non-profit organization established in 1976 to serve immigrants, refugees, and the broader community in Portland, Oregon. Our mission is to welcome, serve and empower refugees, immigrants and people across cultures and generations to reach their full potential.

Position Summary:

The Housing Advocate 2 is responsible for expedited delivery of the Emergency Housing Voucher program, providing permanent housing to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking in Multnomah County, delivering case management, economic empowerment, and resource connection to survivors. The Housing Advocate 2 focuses on increasing housing options for survivors by establishing connections with landlords, property managers, and other service providers.

Essential Functions:

• Advocacy & Case Management:
• Collaborate with Survivor sector and partner agencies to identify and support referred participants to the Emergency Housing Voucher program and coordinate supportive services before and after acceptance into the rapid rehousing program.
• Provide trauma-informed advocacy.
• Manage a caseload up to 30 households and develop comprehensive case management plans for permanent housing stability, health and wellness, legal services, employment and educational placements, and other appropriate services as driven by survivor priorities and goals.
• Provide or secure interpretation, translation, and accessibility services.
• Navigate risk assessment with survivors and provide immediate and ongoing safety planning, crisis intervention, emergency shelters and motels, and mental health services as needed.
• Assist participants in gathering income verification, calculating rental assistance contribution and utility allowance; complete housing inspections and other required documentation; write letters of support when requested; and obtain clearance from law enforcement.
• Housing, Financial Education & Economic Empowerment:
• Continuously contribute to Survivor Housing Team's network of new and existing private landlords, property managers, and other housing options to ensure rapid rehousing for survivors.
• In partnership with Coordinator, identify prospective safe affordable housing sites and establish relationships with landlords and property managers; build awareness about the program.
• Partner with survivors in barrier reduction, housing location, move in, tenant and housing rights, connection to housing legal aid, and other housing mediation and advocacy as necessary.
• Build partnership with educational and employment programs; assist clients with budgeting, interview practice, resources for professional work attire, job search, English language courses, vocational training, and career and educational advancements.
• Encourage financial empowerment, increase income and/or other financial resources, including pursuing child support, TANF, Social Security benefits, Victim Compensation, and other creative solutions to reduce overall costs for the family, through childcare arrangements, ride sharing, low-cost public transportation options, etc.
• Review action plans regularly with survivor to ensure stability at end of financial assistance; achieve goal of client financial self-sufficiency or client connection with other permanent supports and resources such as Housing Choice Vouchers (Section
  8).
• Program Implementation:
• Possess an impeccable degree of confidentiality; knowledge of laws about confidentiality, disclosures, and release of information (or capacity to learn and strictly implement said laws).
• Maintain confidential client files and records of service provision; complete data entry in Apricot and HMIS (Comp Site) databases, client expense tracking, and all other administrative tasks within given timelines.
• Maintains accurate records of all housing placements, collects relevant data, and enters client assistance-related reports in HMIS' comparable site (Comp Site) in compliance with HUD guidelines and requirements.
• Participate in collaborative housing related meetings with partner agencies as needed
• Participate and contribute to all staff meetings, retreats, and trainings.
• Effectively contribute to program standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate ongoing commitment to IRCO mission and values.
• Availability to work occasional evening and weekend hours.
• Perform other duties as requested.

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Experience in the following areas: housing advocacy, building community partnerships, and provision of supportive services, especially within multi-background communities.
• Completion of the 40-hour Oregon Domestic Violence Certified Advocate training.
• Knowledge about the impacts of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking and its intersections with poverty and homelessness.
• Knowledge of confidentiality laws, disclosures, and release of information
• Knowledge of Housing and Homeless services policy in Multnomah and surrounding…