Housing Specialist II-HCV

Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsible for a wide range of activities related to determining and documenting participant eligibility, income, rent and contractual relationships with owners in support of the HCV program operations. The Housing Specialist II may perform admissions, re-certifications, interim adjustments, rent increases and deal with both participant and landlord problems. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Waiting List Management

• Processes applicants (waiting list and special admissions) as directed by the Assisted Housing programs Administrator, in a manner consistent with achieving a 97 percent utilization rate.
• Purges the waiting list annually.
• Places 98 percent of applicants on the waiting list, in accordance with the Administrative Plan.
• Selects 98 percent of applicants from the waiting list, in accordance with the Administrative Plan.

Admissions

• Conducts eligibility interviews with applicant and port-in families.
• Conducts interviews in the client’s home or field office as needed.
• Conducts criminal history check on all adult members of applicant families.
• Determines eligibility of applicants from the waiting list, special admissions and/or port-ins.
• Informs ineligible families of informal hearing procedures.
• Documents family composition, citizenship or eligible immigrant status and social security numbers of family members over age six (or certification that no number exists), in accordance with HUD requirements.
• Determines Annual Income, in accordance with HUD rules.
• Obtains Enterprise Income Verification or third-party verification of income (or documentation of why third-party verifications are not present).
• Calculates Adjusted Income correctly, in accordance with HUD rules.
• Obtains third party verification of deductions (or documentation of why third-party verifications are not present).
• Calculates Total Tenant Payment accurately.
• Determines the voucher size for which each family qualifies, in accordance with the Administrative Plan.
• Issues vouchers and conducts briefings, emphasizing housing opportunities outside areas of minority and low-income concentration.
• Sets up complete and accurate files, with all necessary participant-supplied documents and third-party verifications (or documentation of why third-party verifications are not present).
• Receives Requests for Tenancy Approval, HAP contracts (with HUD-required Tenancy Addendum) Inspection reports, rent reasonableness determinations and leases.
• Checks to ensure that no participants are paying more than 40 percent of his/her adjusted monthly income in Total Tenant Payment, review documents for original signatures and internal consistency (particularly with respect to who pays for various utilities), file documents in participant files and authorize HAP payments to participants.
• Enters correct information and forward completed, accurate and timely Form 50058 to Assisted Housing programs Administrator for submission to HUD.

HUD Annual Re-certifications, Interim Adjustments and Owner Rent Increases

• Requests Inspectors to schedule and conduct annual and special inspections.
• Schedules and conduct annual re-certification interviews, in a manner that ensures that notices of rent increase are provided at least 30 days before the anniversary date and that the entire process is completed by the anniversary date.
• Determines whether the participant family qualifies for a different unit/voucher size than previously issued. When appropriate, issues adjusted voucher.
• When families move later than 120 days after the most recent annual re-certification (in a manner acceptable under program guidelines and the Administrative Plan), conducts a full annual re-certification (including working with Inspector to set up inspection) and change the family’s anniversary date.
• When participant reports changes in income or family circumstances, processes Interim Adjustment.
• Documents all information (complete information for the Annual Recert, only changed information for the Interim) using EIV when available, otherwise third-party verifications (or documentation of why third-party verification was unavailable).
• Makes determination, in accordance with the Administrative Plan, when participants request to add family members for reasons other than the birth, adoption or court-awarded custody of children.
• Receives owner rent increase requests and forwards them to Inspectors for rent reasonableness determinations. When received, forward the entire package to the Assisted Housing programs Administrator to determine whether the program can afford the rent increase within the available budget.
• When rent increases are approved by the Assisted Housing programs Administrator, notifies the owner, in writing, within two working days.
• As the utility allowance schedule is updated, ensures that the utility allowances used in determining tenant rent are correct and accurate, taking into account the size and type of unit and the utilities paid directly by the tenant.
• Enters correct information in Yardi and forwards completed, accurate and timely Form 50058 to the Assisted Housing Programs Administrator for submission to HUD.
• Properly processes client files, as assigned within prescribed timeframe.

General

• Works cooperatively with other members of the department, adjusting workload as necessary when other staff members are ill or on vacation.
• Investigates and resolves participant and landlord complaints minimizing involvement of the Assisted Housing programs Administrator to the satisfaction of all parties.
• Communicates with applicants, participants, landlords/owners, and co-workers in a manner that is courteous and professional.
• Answers resident and landlord questions, providing information on status of rent, damage claims, property inspections, provisions of the lease and contract, program regulations, Montgomery Housing Authority policies, and procedures, etc.
• Returns calls to participants and landlords within one workday.
• Places information received through the mail, by fax or email in appropriate part of participant file, within two workdays of receipt.
• Participates in the revision to departmental policies and procedures.
• Submits monthly performance reports as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Knowledge:

• Must have High School diploma or GED and two years of college course work from an accredited college or university is required. Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Public Administration, Accounting, Sociology, Psychology or a related field is preferred.

2. Three years of experience in public housing, HCV program, case management, apartment management, or an equivalent combination of college course work and higher education (one year of relevant experience is equivalent to one year of relevant higher education and vice versa).

3. Housing Choice Voucher Specialist Certification required within first year of employment (training and testing will be at the Montgomery Housing Authority’s expense). Must have passing score on all subtests, regardless of overall scoring.

4. Knowledge of HUD policies, and other Federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations related to low income housing and Montgomery Housing Authority policies.

5. Knowledge of general office practices and procedures, business English and basic mathematics.

6. Knowledge of HUD HQS, inspection procedures and Montgomery Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher policies and procedures.

7. Ability to communicate interpersonally.

8. Ability to communicate with and relate to persons of diverse backgrounds and abilities and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with participants, landlords and other employees.

9. Ability to complete complex and detailed tasks in a timely manner.

10. Ability to plan and prioritize duties.

11. Bondability.

12. Valid Alabama driver’s license or must acquire one within 30 days of employment.

13. Eligibility to be covered under the Authority’s fleet auto insurance.

Pay: $38,000.00 - $42,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $38,000 - $42,000