Position Description

The Housing Specialist will be responsible for assisting clients of the New Broadway Family Shelter in finding next step housing. This includes completing accurate assessments of each client’s next step housing needs, developing next step housing placement goals and service plans in collaboration with each client, and assisting clients in accessing benefits to obtain next step housing.

Essential Job Functions

The following duties are mandatory requirements of the job:

1. Maintain a caseload of approximately 35 families.
2. Ensure accurate and timely responses to inquiries.
3. Check for rent reasonableness, building code violations, HPD violations, 40% rule and banned owners.
4. Maintain data related to property owners and brokers, available units, and client interactions.
5. Upon intake, perform comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for each client.
6. Assist clients with applying for all government services and benefits for which clients and family members are potentially eligible, including SSI/SSDI benefits, public assistance, Medicaid, food stamps, transportation, home health care and homemaking services, medication assistance, childcare, etc.
7. Accompany voucher holders on appointments to view available apartments within New York City’s five boroughs.
8. Interface with property owners or the property owner’s representative during apartment viewings, including explaining the Section 8 lease up process and requirements.
9. Coordinate care with clients’ Case Managers to ensure that they have access to a full range of community-based services, including services provided by Harlem United, as well as agencies with which Harlem United has formal linkage agreements.
10. Provide services designed to enhance clients’ independent living skills, thereby promoting clients’ housing stability.
11. Provide clients with financial management skills, helping clients understand budgeting, managing bill payments and saving money.
12. Provide clients with assistance in establishing the household, including bill payments, division of household responsibility (for families), maintenance tasks and nutrition.
13. Perform monthly apartment inspections to ensure clients maintain their living space as sustainable and habitable. Place clients in appropriate level housing and provide ongoing intensive housing retention services to clients in their homes in the form of a minimum of one home visit per month.
14. Assist clients with lease negotiations and advocate with landlords on behalf of clients as needed.
15. Complete all documents and data entry required of the job accurately and timely.
16. Process Rental Packages
17. Participate in administrative and clinical supervision on a weekly basis.
18. Participate in all team and agency meetings as required.

Other Responsibilities

1. Perform tasks and duties as assigned by supervisor and appointed staff.
2. Ability to communicate effectively with all staff and clients.

Education and Certification 

Bachelor’s degree preferred, or high school diploma or equivalent plus 3 years relevant experience working with the target population.

Special Skills and Knowledge

In addition to the above-listed job responsibilities and educational requirements, the ideal candidate for this position should possess most or all the following:

1. A strong working knowledge/background working with homeless families with children 
2. Knowledge of community resources for homeless youth and children
3. Basic computer literacy (e.g., Microsoft Word, e-mail, Excel, internet browsing)
4. Crisis management and de-escalation skills
5. Knowledgeable in the use of Motivational Interviewing and Harm Reduction 
6. Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, not 100% confined to regular business hours
7. Bilingual preferred
8. Experience with and commitment to a client-centered approach
9. Excellent detail-orientation and follow up skills.
10. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, superiors, residents, community service agencies, and the public.