HomeFirst Services

Position: Housing Specialist All Programs
Location: Santa Clara County
Reports to: Program Manager
Status: Full Time, Non-Exempt
Compensation: $24.64-$27.00

HomeFirst Services takes pride in its safety values, wellness of our team, and respect for everyone we serve. Due to this commitment, HomeFirst Services is mandating that all employees be vaccinated or render a religious or medical exemption effective September 13, 2021.

AGENCY SUMMARY:
Established in 1980, with 40+ years of experience, we are the premier Silicon Valley provider of homelessness services. We believe that everyone has the potential to get housed and stay housed. We relentlessly focus on eliminating barriers to housing and creating stability for everyone we serve.

HomeFirst Services serves more than 6,000 adults, veterans, families, and young adults each year at multiple locations from Gilroy to Menlo Park – all of Santa Clara County as well as southern San Mateo County.

Services include:

Homelessness prevention

Emergency and cold-weather shelters

Comprehensive Veterans’ services

Rapid Re-Housing programs

Bridge Housing Communities

Emergency Interim Housing

Affordable permanent housing

Permanent Supportive Housing

Street-based outreach

Benefits of joining the HomeFirst Team:

Professional growth opportunities within the organization

100% medical coverage for employees with an opportunity to add dependents for a shared cost

401k match up to 4%

12 observed holidays

PTO accrual begins with 120 hours annually and increases with tenure

4 hours of Community Engagement PTO provided annually

Access to our Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) services

Pet insurance options available

HomeFirst Services is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. Additionally, HomeFirst Services participates in the E-Verify program, as required by law.

HomeFirst Services is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please let your recruiter know.
ROLE SUMMARY:
The Housing Specialist meets with our program participants and assists them in locating, securing, and maintaining permanent housing in the community. They play a key role in representing agency and program participant interests to landlords, developing strong working relationships with property managers and owners. To this end, the Housing Specialist participates in our collective effort to end and prevent homelessness.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Knowledge and Experience, General

One year of paid or volunteer experience in social work or related human services
It May be substituted by two years of customer service experience and lived experience with homelessness
Proficient in Microsoft Office suite
Valid CA driver’s license and insurance and reliable transportation

QUALITIES:
The Housing Specialist is passionate about serving others and sees themself in a helping profession long-term. They have a knack for winning people over through their strong persuasive abilities and balance their natural creativity with nuts and bolts of problem-solving.

They manage their time well and demonstrate strong organizational abilities. With the support of program leadership, the Housing Specialist participates in our culture of learning and increases their knowledge of evidence-based practices over the course of their employment. Together, we model the values and principles of HomeFirst within the agency and the broader community.

HomeFirst is a diverse company in a diverse field, and the Housing Specialist seeks to work with people from a variety of social and economic backgrounds. They are a highly collaborative member of our participant services team and enjoy a team-oriented work environment.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Maintain a caseload of 20-30 participants in an active housing search.
Provide comprehensive Housing Specialist services. This may include:

Landlord outreach and support
Housing search
Application assistance
Advocacy
Housing mediation
Financial assistance administration
Crisis de-escalation
Risk assessment and mandated reporting
Connection to community resources, i.e., eviction prevention
Other direct service provision

Meet with participants at a frequency and location determined by their needs.
Engage in the consistent application of evidence-based practices.
Support internal case management and program support specialist activities as needed. This may include:

Street-based or community outreach efforts
Conducting joint participant meetings
Workshop coordination

Participate in case conferencing and collaborative care coordination.
Maintain compliance with contract, agency, and licensing requirements.
Achieve identified program and position deliverables.
Adhere to task completion deadlines.
Maintain thorough and accurate documentation of participant services in accordance with agency and contractual standards.

Attend all job-related meetings, including program staff meetings and agency-wide meetings.
Participate in opportunities for learning and skill maintenance/development.

Utilize supervision appropriately, maintain open lines of communication, and provide updates on activity.
Assist with other duties as assigned.