Housing Navigator (33728)

Purpose: (General description and summary):

This role connects highly vulnerable community members experiencing homelessness to community services, employment and income growth with an emphasis around helping transition from experiencing homelessness to housing. The Housing Navigator utilizes crisis response/intervention, harm-reduction and trauma-informed care principles to build trusting relationships and deliver wrap-around housing stability services. The role conducts individual assessments, housing search and connection to community resources with a focus on supporting community connections. This role works outside the office to meet program participants in their homes, in the community and at New Narrative program locations.

Essential Functions

• Provide support to participants as they transition from street to shelter to housing. Intervene in crisis situations, promote positive solutions and re-establish stability while providing support and mediation to foster housing stability.
• Conduct thorough assessment to identify the individuals unique story, risk factors, and strengths to build upon for a successful outcome.
• Develop strength-based/solution-focused individualized action plans that promote income growth, housing stability and self-sufficiency.
• Coordinate wrap around services including mental health, legal assistance, entitlement benefits, health care, substance abuse treatment, job training and housing assistance.
• Practice assertive engagement to motivate and encourage participation to support follow-through.
• Maintain professional boundaries and a strict level of confidentiality.
  
  

Housing Support

• Assist participants with accessing resources and services to increase housing stability, e.g., linkage to primary care physicians, health insurance, food banks, credit repair, legal aid, money management, tenant rights and responsibilities, mental health, benefits enrollment.
• Support participants through each step in the housing process, including income growth and attainment, on-time rent payment, budgeting, roommate mediation, neighbor mediation, and successful tenancy.
• Assist participants in locating and securing housing of their choice and to create and maintain consistent communication channels between the participant and landlords, referral sources, creditors, and collaborating agencies.
• Provide advocacy and medication on the client’s behalf with landlords, property manages and housing agencies to obtain and maintain housing.
• Service as an ongoing liaison with property managers, resource and service providers and neighbors, as needed, to maintain stable housing.
• Conduct home visits and accompany participants as needed to appointments related to housing.
• Provide independent living skills coaching, instruction, and assistance to participants. Independent living skills include paying bills and rent, household management, cleaning, personal hygiene, cooking, nutrition and personal care.
• Participate in case conferences, tenant meetings, staff meetings and community meetings as required
  
  

Communication and Documentation

• Maintain thorough, accurate, and up-to-date records and document service encounters as required; enter data in a timely manner in Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), Credible and/or Smartsheets.
• Gather housing documentation in an accurate and timely manner including application information, disability verification, financial records, housing ledgers, identification and annual voucher certifications.
• Respond to calls, emails, update requests and other inquiries in a professional and timely manner.
• Follow all best practices standards of care. Follow all New Narrative’s Policies and SOP, including release of information, informed consent, confidentiality and file documentation.
• Complete required training and certifications within the established time-period.
• Serve on an agency or community service committee representing the department and/or agency as assigned.
• Support the Mission, Vision, and Values of New Narrative in the performance of all essential job functions and responsibilities.
  
  

Positions Reporting: None

Core Competencies

• Communication: Direct, concise, and collaborative. Keeps others informed. Listens effectively to others. Maintains positive and open communications with staff.
• Teamwork: Effective at working in team situations.
• Initiative/Results Oriented: Originates action. Finds ways to get things done.
• Quality: Promotes continuous improvement. Effectively utilizes data.
• Customer Responsiveness: Responds well to internal and external customer needs.
• Analytical Thinking: Attention to detail over sustained periods of time and ability to analyze data and recognize trends.
• Dependability: Counted on to follow through on commitments; at work each day and on time; work completed in a timely fashion.
• Aptitude: Ability to comprehend and apply innovative ideas, processes, procedures, or training.
• Organizational Awareness: Understands the culture of the organization; interests and concerns of various groups.
• Sensitive Information: Exposure to highly confidential information. Must always maintain the highest level of discretion and organization’s security.
• Motivate: On-going ability to motivate others and remain consistently enthusiastic.
• Demeanor: Remaining calm in crisis situations, empathetic, unbiased, and excellent interpretation skills.
  
  

Education/Certificates/Licenses/Registration:

Preferred: Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA) and/or Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS)

Experience/Qualifications:

Experience working in HMIS or Credible a plus.

Experience working with Harm Reduction programs a plus.

Experience with Housing First programing a plus

Familiarity with the population (SPMI, Justice involved, SUD, unhoused)