Job Description

The Housing Coordinator, Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS), Area Agency on Aging (AAA), Older Adult Services Bureau, Housing Unit, under the authority of the Aging Care Management Supervisor 1, (DHS – AAA), assumes a role across the Housing Programs in the Older Adult Services Unit. This position conducts outreach about the housing programs to determine eligibility in meeting the housing needs of older adults. They are specifically involved in assessing and evaluating the housing needs of the older adults in Allegheny County for entrance into the Shared Housing and Resource Exchange (SHARE) program to ensure, enhance, and prolong the consumer’s ability to remain living in their home and/or community, and Navigating/Coordinating Housing with individuals referred through a new contract with a managed care organization. The incumbent coordinates and collaborates with potential homeowners or renters (home hosts) and individuals (home seekers or home sharers) in finding affordable and safe housing situations in accordance with the individual needs assessment for SHARE referrals and referrals from the managed care organization. The incumbent processes referral, assesses, develops service plan, and coordinates housing directly with managed care organization members.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative and Support Related Activities:

• Attends and participates in meetings with local community housing-related resources.
• Attends AAA agency staff meetings and required agency trainings.
• Maintains an expertise in local community housing resources and shares the knowledge with AAA agency staff.
• Maintains accurate and confidential records on home host and home sharer information in SAMS Database.
• Maintains data entry in SAMS, statistical records and performs other record keeping functions as required by the agency.
• Creates, maintains, and updates a list of potential referral sources for SHARE participants (clients/consumers).
• Perform additional tasks in support of Housing Unit programs.
• Completes and compiles required documentation related to managed care housing activities, including receipts and financial reports.
• Prepares monthly reports on the SHARE program and distributes reports to the necessary Aging and DHS staff.

Managed Care Home Referral Coordination and Outreach:

• Receive and process referrals from managed care organization.
• Make initial visit, as well as all mandated visits onsite with participants.
• Perform assessment and housing-focused service plan.
• Utilize Housing Resources to identify and offer housing options to participants.
• Coordinate procurement of living items (items needed to establish a household) in preparation for housing assistance.
• Assist participants in all activities related to stability in housing – including applications for housing, the actual physical move, leveraging additional staffing supports within AAA.

Home Share Coordination and Outreach:

• Works within the community to promote the SHARE (Shared Housing and Resource Exchange) program through recruitment of potential homeowners or renters (Home Hosts) and home seekers (Home Sharers).
• Assesses and evaluates consumers/clients who can potentially be matched with other consumers/clients in the context of the definition of the SHARE program.
• Assists with the development and refinement of the housing match (SHARE) program, including the development of policies and procedures, application and intake forms, home sharing lease agreement templates, monitoring tools and information databases.
• Oversees the implementation of the housing match (SHARE) program as described in the policies and procedures.
• Distributes educational, outreach and marketing materials, and strategies for the SHARE program targeted at homeowners (home hosts) and home seekers (home sharers).
• Conducts regular educational and outreach sessions in the community for purposes of identifying potential homeowners (home hosts) and home seekers (home sharers) for SHARE and OA Service Bureau Housing programs.

• Meets individually with potential home hosts and home seekers to provide additional information about the SHARE program and the application process.
• Assists potential home hosts and home seekers with the completion of the application, if needed.
• Conducts initial interviews and intake screening of potential home hosts and home sharers.
• Facilitates and verifies required background checks and references.
• Coordinates preplacement visits between potential home hosts and home sharers by phone/email in support of SHARE Placement CWs, and coordinates a trial home sharing period, if applicable.
• Prepares the home sharing lease agreement, from consultation with the Housing Unit Care Managers, to identify any exchange of services, if applicable, and agreed upon house rules.
• Coordinates the move-in of the home sharer with the home host, in support of Housing Unit Care Managers.
• On at least a quarterly basis, schedules and coordinates ongoing monitoring with both the home host and the home sharer to evaluate the success of the match and identify any additional needs to be addressed in support of Housing Unit Care Managers.
• Make appropriate referrals to other agencies or community resources as needed in Support of Housing Care Managers.
• Initiates investigations of any complaints by the home host or home sharer, including adherence to mandatory abuse reporting requirements, in support of Housing Care Managers.
• Supports Housing Care Manager in the termination of home host-home sharer agreement.
• Compiles resource information for alternative living arrangements for individuals leaving the program, in support of Housing Care Managers.
• Identifies problems and best practices and makes recommendations for quality improvement of the SHARE program.
• Develops and maintains good working relationships with the PA Link and collaborate with staff on education/outreach and referrals to the SHARE program.
• Develop educational, outreach and marketing materials and strategies for the SHARE program targeted at homeowners (home hosts) and home seekers (home sharers).
• Create, maintain, and update a list of potential referral sources for SHARE participants.
• Conduct regular educational and outreach sessions in the community for purposes of identifying potential homeowners (home hosts) and home seekers (home sharers).
• Maintain current knowledge of HUD prohibitions under 24 CFR 982.553 related to admission of individuals with criminal histories to public housing programs.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with the PA Link and collaborate with staff on education/outreach and referrals to the SHARE program.

Education/Experience requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university in a related field, plus 1 year of previous experience working in care management, social work, aging, or related field.

-OR-

Associate's degree with plus 3 years previous experience working in care management, social work, aging, or related field.

-OR-Any equivalent combination of education and experience which meets the required knowledge, skills and abilities.