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Housing Navigator

The position of Housing Navigator reports directly to an assigned Program Coordinator at a U.S.VETS site. The Housing Navigator is responsible for assisting veterans and their families and other persons served in navigating the housing process up to obtaining permanent housing, often while coordinating with multiple agencies and support types including the HUD-VASH housing voucher. The Housing Navigator manages and motivates the clients through housing search, application, and lease negotiation. The Housing Navigator directly supports the HUD-VASH Social Workers/Case Management team with veteran housing support and maintains regular and extensive contact with the veteran's care team.

*Specific duties may be established via a Housing Navigation program agreement between Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grantees and HUD-VASH which may include additional elements not listed here.

FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt

• Act as a liaison between U.S.VETS programs and the Veterans Administration (VA) and other partnering agencies, managing a caseload of clients needing support with their housing search
• Work closely with HUD-VASH partners, attending case conferencing and collaborating with assigned VA Social Workers on veteran clients and their needs
• Maintain case file of documents necessary for clients' application to housing opportunities
• Consider client needs for housing search of available housing inventory and consulting with landlords and property management offices to search inventory
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with landlords, property managers and residential real estate specialists
• Compiles client information, rental market information, and housing trends to provide data for reports and to guide decisions
• Provides limited and short-term case management to clients and their families with the purpose of securing and maintaining permanent housing
• Engage clients at various levels of the housing process
• Meet with clients in person at least every other week. Conduct virtual meetings (phone call, online meeting) during off-weeks when not seeing a clients in person
• Conduct outreach to engage clients to participate in housing navigation services with additional efforts for any non-participatory clients. Due diligence to find and engage clients includes calling collateral contacts, visiting the site or area they reside, visiting clinics or other service environments they frequent, bringing the client's name to the local by-name list case conferencing and other coordinated entry system meetings to brainstorm how to find and engage the client
• Assess for housing choice, tenant-screening barriers, and strengths
• Assist clients to locate housing, view units (including transport clients to units in company vehicles or securing transportation), collect documents owners require, apply for units, and mitigate or overcome any tenant-screening barriers
• Submit required housing documents to various agencies to advance housing process
• Conduct landlord engagement and outreach in coordination with multiple agencies
• Assist clients with' accessing allowable incentives (landlord & clients), move-in costs, sign the lease and all moving logistics
• Provide up to 1 month of housing stability case management to veteran client enrolled in HUD-VASH, who have moved to permanent housing, before transitioning fully to a HUDVASH point of contact for clinical care and ongoing/continued case management
• Provide housing stability case management to clients as required for other programs
• Support clients'' basic needs (non-clinical care) and provide case management including setting up a housing stability plan and coordinating referrals for supportive services not offered by U.S.VETS
• Provide linkages to VA and community-based services to pursue healthcare, public benefits, utility discounts, legal services, employment programs and other services to assist with housing search and stability
• Perform other duties as assigned

For Housing Navigators working with SSVF:

• Housing Navigators assigned to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF) shall gain and maintain knowledge of the SSVF program to include eligible activity, client eligibility, goals, and regulations and are also to become knowledgeable of all U.S.VETS programs and share resources and care coordination efforts.
• Perform other SSVF or U.S.VETS duties as assigned.

For Housing Navigators working with a Housing Navigation Program such as a County or other local program:

• Housing Navigators may report to a Housing Navigation Coordinator
• Gain and maintain knowledge of the assigned program to include eligible activity, client eligibility and enrollment, client discharge or transition planning, program goals and regulations and are also to become knowledgeable of all U.S.VETS programs for client referrals and intake, sharing resources, collaborating outreach efforts, and coordinating care
• Conduct street and community outreach to specific areas assigned to engage clients and community partners
• Conduct case management as required by the program
• Conduct intakes for veterans and their families into U.S.VETS programs
• Participate in community meetings and trainings
• Maintain case records, outreach data, housing inventory and placement data, and other pertinent information in internal and external systems
• Perform other Housing Navigation program or U.S.VETS duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree in social services/social work or a closely related field that would support the duties and qualifications of the position required
  • For Housing Navigators working with SSVF programs, a Bachelor's degree is required
  • For Housing Navigators working with a Housing Navigation Program such as a County or other local program, a Bachelor's degree is required or may be substituted with equivalent experience if permitted by funding source and site management
• Experience working with low income and/or homeless populations, preferably those in low-income subsidized housing arrangements and/or supportive housing programs
• Proficient typing and computer skills, including Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook/Word/Excel)
• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours to accommodate participants which may include evenings and/or weekends
• Experience working in diverse settings with people across all socio-economic spectrums and a wide variety of roles - staff, residents, local agencies, contractors, lenders, etcetera
• Professionalism: high level of integrity and strong ethical values show capacity to maintain highest standards of confidentiality with all records, including organizational and individual information
• Strong oral/written communication and listening skills
• Self-motivated, well-organized, and accountable for work time, deadlines, and agency resources
• Quality control: demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, monitors own work to ensure quality, and applies feedback to improve performance
• Access to reliable personal transportation required, including a Valid driver's license, must meet company insurance requirements and complete a provided driver training course