College Housing Navigator

Job Description

Position Overview

College Housing Navigation is a fast-paced and very hands-on job requiring high levels of nuanced people skills, creativity with solutions, focus, and extreme flexibility, as well as self-management by those who are comfortable in a wide variety of unconventional situations working with the student population in scattered sites and in the field throughout the County of Riverside. Additionally, housing navigation requires a high level of detailed documentation and file work.

The College Housing Navigator, under the direction of the Transitional Housing Manager, provides participant advocacy, case management, benefit establishment, linkage to Mental Health/Substance Abuse services, linkage to stable housing, and all other supportive services as needed. College Housing Navigators will provide

individualized participant support by helping each participant develop a plan to address their barriers, increase their income, and maintain and sustain permanent housing. As part of the plan, the Navigator will identify each area in which participants will need assistance to accomplish the outlined goals and objectives (i.e., scheduling appointments, applying for public benefits, identifying subsidized housing, etc.), and the Navigator will take full responsibility for their participants’ success. Additionally, this role includes filling in gaps for other navigators in the program when they are unavailable or out of the office. They will also provide support for the Manager when they are unavailable to respond to participant urgencies, file quality control, and assist with creating and providing monthly, quarterly, and annual grant reports as needed for compliance and audit reporting.

Responsibilities:

Supportive Services for Housing

• Provide social work case management and navigation services designed to assist participants and their families exit displacement and move into permanent housing.
• Coordinate and identify appropriate resources and mainstream benefits that lead to permanent housing options for participants, such as, subsidized housing Section 8, Shelter Plus Care, VASH, permanent supportive housing, affordable and market rate housing, and if needed assisting in finding property management companies that are willing to accept housing programs.
• Provide onsite case management services in the areas of independent living skills, employment linkage, cooking groups, house meetings, social events, benefits establishment, and other services as needed to assist in reaching case plan and treatment plan goals.
• Provide guidance towards resources that help to increase participant income, including connecting them with our Employment Pipeline services, Social Security resources, and other mainstream resources that may be available to them.
• Perform comprehensive case management assessments and develop a plan of intervention that addresses need for housing, services, crisis intervention, and continuity of care planning and coordination.
• Use of a personal vehicle to travel to scattered sites throughout Riverside County and transport participants
• Respond to referrals and participant requests for case management assessment and intervention within required response time.
• Encourage and promote an environment that is strength-based to assist participants in meeting their individual goals.
• Assist with the participant(s) intake process and initial assessment.
• Collect and keep files of income certifications, calculations of subsidies and lease approvals for participants(s) direct lease contracts.
• Specific rental assistance compliance (rent contributions, lease agreements, NSPIRE inspections). Individual rent calculations based on sliding scale
• Creating an RCC’s spreadsheet and maintaining an accurate database of all participant(s). That are housed including date and location of permanent housing.
• Conduct regular home visits to participant(s) who are housed.
• · Complete and submit your timesheets in a timely and accurate manner.
• · Maintain confidential, professional boundaries with all program participant(s)/students(s).
• · Addresses needs for housing, services, crisis intervention, and continuity of care planning and coordination.
• · Respond to referrals and participant(s) requests for case management assessment and intervention within
• · Assist participants with housing applications, complete supportive and subsidized housing paperwork, survey rental market for affordable housing, and advocate for participants with prospective landlords.
• · Work with participants to assist them in the temporary units they reside in.
• · Other duties as assigned

Outreach and Relationship Management

• • Respond to and negotiate housing solutions with housing managers and landlords.
• • Mediate disputes between displaced persons and neighborhood residents.
• • Attend collaborative meetings.
• • Network with other agencies, coalitions, and local community meetings.
• • Actively participate in staff meetings and trainings.
• • Maintain participant related data tracking systems, including case notes and complete HMIS entries with support of Chief Solutions Officer.
• • Maintain an “On Call” status to respond to emergencies as assigned.
• • Other duties as assigned

Core Competencies

Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Psychology, Social Work or related field.

• Two years in related experience with case management services, housing, displaced and mentally ill populations.

• Experience as a college student or prior employment on a college campus

• Computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office, Excel and (preferably) Access. HMIS training a plus.

• Extensive experience working with individuals that are chronically displaced and/or displaced veterans.

• Knowledge of Public Housing Authority and Housing subsidies is ideal (ie, Section 8, Shelter Plus Care, VASH).

• Project a professional demeanor.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Must maintain and execute confidential information.

• Highly motivated self-starter and ability to coordinate multiple projects/tasks simultaneously in a high- pressure environment.

• Ability to work with diverse communities and exercise mature judgment.

• Problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

• A working knowledge and practice of Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care, and the cognitive approach to providing social services and development services.

• A working knowledge of the “hidden rules” and motivating factors and dynamics of social class and

• generational poverty in America.

Physical Requirements:

• Walking extensive distances

• Walking on unlevelled terrain

• Carrying up to 30lbs for extensive distances

• Navigators are also required to work for many hours out of their vehicles making many stops throughout the day.

Required Requirements:

• Employment Eligibility Verification

• Reliable personal (not public) transportation available at all times.

• Successful completion of background screening.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Path of Life Ministries is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.