Department Overview: Commonpoint Queens Resettlement & Integration (R&I) Department consists of initial resettlement, social integration and employment services programs serving refugee and other humanitarian migrant populations. The R&I Department has locations in midtown Manhattan and Elmhurst, Queens.

POSITION SUMMARY

Commonpoint Queens seeks a Housing Specialist to ensure that Afghan refugee, humanitarian parolee, and Special Immigrant Visa holder (SIV) clients are provided with safe, sanitary and affordable temporary and/or permanent housing. The Housing Specialist will lead Commonpoint Queens’ efforts to form and cultivate positive partnerships with local landlords to both identify market-rate housing units for Commonpoint Queens clients as well as ensure affordability for long-term self-sufficiency. While Commonpoint’s refugee, humanitarian parolee and SIV clients will have access to rental assistance funds through our agency, they are not in receipt of public housing subsidies or vouchers. The Housing Specialist will report to the Assistant Director, Initial Resettlement & Social Integration, and collaborate closely with Commonpoint Queens’ case management team members in order to understand current needs of newly arriving and recently arrived Afghan clients. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Leads efforts to ensure that safe, sanitary and affordable permanent housing is identified and secured for newly arriving and existing Afghan refugees. 
• Conducts frequent and regular outreach to develop and maintain positive relationships with landlord partners; educates landlords and management companies on refugee resettlement, including funding and employment services available to R&I clients pre- and post-arrival; creates outreach materials geared towards landlords and management companies.
• Negotiates with landlord partners to enhance accessibility of affordable housing to refugees (i.e. minimize brokerage fees, credit check and cosigner/guarantor requirements, and/or security deposits).
• Maintains an up-to-date database of landlord partners, including pertinent information regarding housing details and availability.
• Conducts thorough assessments of clients’ housing needs and preferences to match them with suitable housing options; develops individualized housing service plans for each client.
• Collaborates with case management staff, U.S. ties (clients’ family and friends) and community sponsorship volunteers as needed to understand and meet specific housing needs.
• Provides support to and/or direct housing search services to clients, U.S. ties and community sponsorship volunteers in their searches for permanent housing.
• Facilitates the rental application process for clients, including assisting with completing necessary paperwork and providing required documentation to landlords and management companies; facilitates and/or accompanies clients to property viewing appointments.
• Conducts pre-arrival housing inspections (virtual or in-person) to ensure housing units, furniture and household goods meet safety and sanitation standards and are prepared for clients’ move-in; collaborates with clients, staff, volunteers and U.S. ties to coordinate apartment set-ups.
• Acts as the main agency point of contact for landlord partners during the 90-day initial resettlement program period and beyond, as needed, in order to facilitate communication between landlords and clients to coordinate signing of lease, ensure timely rental payments and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
• Provides ongoing support and assistance to clients in maintaining their housing as well as addressing any issues or concerns that may arise post-housing placement.
• Supports case management staff and/or U.S. ties with airport pick-ups and initial home orientations, as needed.
• Maintains accurate up-to-date records of housing services and placements, lease agreements, and other housing documentation in applicable online case management systems and digital client case files.
• Coordinates with case management staff to provide individual and group housing-related Cultural Orientation instruction to clients.
• Trains and oversees a cohort of Housing Volunteers who conduct research and outreach to identify new housing units and landlord partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, or similar field; or a combination of relevant experience and education required.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills. 
• Demonstrated experience conducting outreach to community partners.
• Familiarity with NYC rental and real estate market preferred.
• Familiarity with U.S. Refugee Admission Program and refugee and/or immigrant social services preferred.
• Ability to work collaboratively and thrive as a member of a culturally diverse team.
• Ability to prioritize and multi-task several urgent projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to supervise interns and volunteers as needed.
• Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto preferred.
• Lived experience as an immigrant, refugee, asylee and/or asylum-seeker highly valued.
• Excellent computer skills, including experience with Google Suite applications (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Docs, Sheets, etc.), Salesforce, and Microsoft Office.