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Housing Specialist

ABOUT US

Founded in 1991, Hope Solutions, formerly Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, is avibrantandsocially responsive non-profit agency that provides permanent housing and vital support services to over 2,000 homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. Over 40 faith-based communities support our work, although there are no religious requirements or affiliations to receive services.

Are you seeking a new role that fully utilizes your talents and potential-while helping to make the world a better place? If so, please read on!

What are you passionate about?

At Hope Solutions-we envision a world in which everyone has a place to call home and the support of a strong community so that they can live with dignity and reach their full potential. We strive to be inclusive and responsive to community needs. We are committed to excellence and accomplish our work with integrity, respect, compassion, and humility.

Hope Solution's mission is to heal the effects of povertyandhomelessness by providing permanent housing and vital support services to highly vulnerable families and individuals.

Could our mission be your mission?

Learn more about us @hopesolutions.org

TEAM SNAPSHOT

We're adding to our team of passionate folks-who are on a mission to help make the lives of others better-through services and support that lead to a higher quality of life for our clients.

We'd like to learn more about you-apply for the role! What's our team like?

Here's a snapshot of some of the folks at Hope Solutions who help advance our vision to achieve-secure housing and the dignity of self-sufficiency for the homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County.

A FEW OF US...

Deanne-Chief Executive Officer-Resides with her husband and three children. Enjoys hiking, camping, reading, cooking, and cheering at her kids' games.

Alex-Chief Operating Officer-Lives with his wife, son, and dog (and loves when the grandkids visit!). MSW and macro social worker who enjoys reading, baseball (Go Giants!), cooking, hiking, jazz, and family time.

Christina-Chief Financial Officer-Resides with her husband, son, two daughters, and their dog. MPA, Non-Profit Graduate Certificate, and 20+ years in finance; enjoys traveling and family time.

Beth-Director of Clinical and Support Services-Resides with her sister and son. Licensed psychologist with 30+ years working with children and families; enjoys singing, cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Bill-Vice President of Programs-Resides with his partner. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 25+ years' experience working with underserved populations, specialized training in somatic psychotherapy and end-of-life care; enjoys reading, gardening, and meditation.

Cayla-Director of Evaluation & Learning -Resides with her husband and children. MBA in Business Analytics that thrives on spreadsheet analysis, dashboard creation, and reading.

Debbie-Director of Development & External Relations-Resides with her husband, two teenagers, and a rescue mutt. Leads external relations and development with 20+ years in marketing and communications.

Dominick-Director of Re-Entry Housing & Services-A fourth-generation San Francisco native and father of four, holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Leadership. In his free time, he enjoys music, travel, nature, cooking, and quarterly wine trips.

Jennifer-Vice President of Strategy & Development-A California native, she spends her time with her loved ones hiking and exploring the region's coffee shops, farmer's markets, and festivals. She likes reading adventure novels and leadership books, as well as playing new board games and video games, and loves a good conversation.

Kristina-Director of Human Resources-With over 20 years of experience in HR, leadership, people management, and operations, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and is a SHRM-SCP certified professional. A Bay Area native and proud foodie, she lives with her child and enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, hiking, and keeping life light with laughter and fun.

Mashal-Director of Housing & Support Services-Resides in the Bay Area. Daughter of Afghan refugees; enjoys weekends with her son, concerts, reading, and Sonoma Coast drives; former Program Manager for housing and care for chronically homeless adults with AIDS/HIV; co-chair for Hope Solutions' CARE Committee and board member.

Rena-Director of Finance-Born and raised in Contra Costa County - California CPA with a dual degree in Accounting and Sociology from the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!). Enjoys cooking, hosting dinner parties and hiking with her husband and two daughters.

Tanya-Director of Rapid Re-Housing & Navigation-Resides with her husband, daughter, and two sons. Master's in Counseling Psychology with 15+ years serving underserved populations; enjoys music, comedy, movies, exercising, and basketball.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Hope Solutions seeks an energetic Housing Specialist who is flexible and responsive to support the needs of our clients while possessing the skill set to collaborate with interdisciplinary team members and community partners. We are looking for compassionate, service-driven individuals who fundamentally believe in the potential of others.

The Housing Specialist provides an array of services to clients, including case management, housing navigation, advocacy, and financial support (including rent and move-in assistance), all in support of assessing client goals and matching clients with safe, sustainable housing options. The Housing Specialist conducts outreach and engagement with landlords and property owners throughout the county, matching clients with appropriate housing options and working with community resources that assist in the process of placing homeless individuals/families into suitable housing. The Housing Specialist works closely with the County Coordinated Entry System to assist clients in securing and maintaining stable housing while meeting program goals of reducing participant homeless time, increasing exits to permanent housing, and limiting returns to homelessness.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

WHAT WILL YOU DO:

Client Support:

• Meet with identified clients to complete housing needs assessments and create plans for obtaining safe, sustainable housing.
• Assist with data entry, rental subsidy, program incentive tracking for program participants, and tracking/reporting program data.
• Assist Team members on an as-needed basis with assessing client needs and service planning.
• Assist clients with "document readiness" (gathering and maintaining verification documents required for housing applications)
• Research and identify housing opportunities for clients as requested or needed.
• Assist clients in identifying and seeking desirable, appropriate housing options and mitigating screening barriers.
• Provide applicants with housing-related resources necessary to obtain and sustain housing placement, including information regarding tenant/landlord rights and responsibilities.
• Partner with Department staff and other community partners as needed to ensure coordination of care.
• Transport clients to meet with prospective landlords, complete housing applications, and inspect potential units on an as-needed basis.
• Apply knowledge of residential leases to educate clients regarding their rights and responsibilities.

Landlord/Community Outreach and Engagement:

• Work with community partners to assess housing barriers and the needs of clients experiencing homelessness who are eligible for services.
• Maintain key relationships with community service providers, Probation referral sources, and Coordinated Entry programs.
• Develop outreach and marketing strategies to identify landlords and build housing inventory. Present to interested parties: target audiences will vary but may include faith communities, rental associations, board and care facilities, elected officials, and property management companies.
• In partnership with Hope Solutions, brokered housing and property management staff collaborate regarding shared housing resources.
• Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on clients' behalf to assist with obtaining and/or maintaining housing.
• Create and maintain consistent verbal and written communication channels between collaborating parties (i.e., tenant, landlord, referral sources, service agencies, debtors, and creditors).

Cultural Responsiveness:

• Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.
• Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion and belonging.
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility, authenticity, backgrounds, and goals.
• Participate in and complete our new employee onboarding process, which includes reading and discussing a short chapter in the book, The Color of Law.
• Review and commit to our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging Commitment.

Organizational/Administrative Responsibilities:

• Professionally represent Hope Solutions in all circumstances.
• Comply with all legal/ethical professional guidelines for maintaining consumer confidentiality, adhering to HIPAA guidelines, protecting consumer rights, advocating on consumers' behalf, and assuring consumer safety.
• Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations and Hope Solutions policies and procedures.
• Complete required administrative paperwork and reports in a timely and accurate manner.
• Attend all required meetings, including but not limited to Hope Solutions staff meetings, team meetings, consumer case conferences, and linkage meetings with other agencies.
• Complete required personnel-related paperwork and complete expenditure reports for food supplies, petty cash expenses, and/or mileage in a timely and accurate manner.
• Document all services provided in a timely manner.
• Assist with data generation for reports and funding applications as needed.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• On-call, after-hours, and backup work may be required.

Work LocationClassification

• Mobile: Work is performed across multiple locations and in the field rather than at a single fixed site. Staff travel as needed to meet with clients, partners, and operational needs. This classification applies to all Program Direct Service staff.
• Work from home must be approved in advance by the Program Director or Manager.Written approval (email) isrequired.
• All new program employees are expected to work on-site for the first 90 calendar days. Any exception requires approval from the Program Director or Manager.
• Program staff are expected to structure the workday with approximately six hours offace-facework and approximately two hours of administration/documentation time (this time can be averaged during a given week or month, depending on client and program need and with approval of the supervisor).
• Client-facing work may occur on-site or in the field, depending on the role and program needs, and may include appointments, sessions, engagements, support services, client-present coordination of community resources/services, and other direct service activities.
• This expectation may flex to accommodate operational needs, client availability, safety concerns, or urgent program priorities while still meeting performance expectations.
• Whenrequesting towork from home, the employee must make the request to their direct supervisor in advance. The request must include the requested date/hours,business reasons, and a work plan for the day. For urgent same-day situations, the employee must notify leadership as early as possible and follow directionsregardingwork-from-home approval, schedule adjustment, or use of leave time.
• When approved to work from home, employees mustmaintainconfidentiality, work from a professional/private environment, complete assigned tasks and documentation on time, and track time accurately.

Position Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and belief in "Housing First" philosophy and strategies.
• Passion for and demonstrated experience successfully supporting vulnerable populations, especially homeless clients with mental disabilities.
• BA degree in social work or related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Minimum of two years' experience in the human service field, preferably with housing retention barriers such as substance abuse, mental health, and/or income challenges.
• Knowledge or willingness to learn HUD requirements, including tenant certifications and/or experience working with HUD-funded properties.
• Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Computer proficiency in the use of Microsoft and database applications.
• Must have an operational vehicle, auto insurance, valid California driver's license, and be willing to drive for work.
• Must pass LiveScan screening and TB test.
• Salary contingent upon skill and experience.

Physical Qualifications:

• The person in this position may make home visits to consumers who live on second or third-floor apartments (without elevators) and will need to be able to climb stairs.
• May accompany consumers on walks to local resources (grocery store, childcare, parks) up to mile in distance.
• Must be able to work in a desk setting for up to 3 hours at a time to make calls to consumers, research resources on the internet, and collaborate with community providers with calls/emails.
• Office setting activities are required, such as typing on a laptop/computer to respond to emails, entering case notes into a database, and copying/faxing forms and documents on a copy machine related to maintaining or obtaining housing.
• Occasionally must be able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds, including furnishin...