Housing Specialist

Position Summary:

The Housing Specialist will engage all eligible aging-out participants in the program. The Housing Specialist will provide housing search and supportive services to promote participants' self-sufficiency, integration into the community, and permanency in housing.  The Housing Specialist will perform administrative tasks involved in the review and maintenance of a caseload of the program’s participants.

Essential Duties:

• Understand and promote the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values to ensure alignment with organizational policies and procedures.
• Provide housing search and supportive services to promote participants' self-sufficiency, integration into the community, and permanency in housing.
• Administer tasks involved in the review and maintenance of a caseload of the program’s participants.
• Work with youth who are aging out of foster care to submit all forms of housing applications by age 19.
• Assist youth to apply for permanent housing by helping them obtain Section 8 vouchers, apply to the NYC affordable housing lottery, etc.
• Check in on the youth’s application status and follow up with NYCHA and supportive housing as needed.
• Accompany youth to visit supportive housing residences, when needed.
• Help participants obtain furniture and move into an apartment.
• Assess housing barriers of participants and families experiencing homelessness to determine housing and service needs.
• Develop a comprehensive plan by providing independent living and life skills support such as budgeting, obtaining a bank account money management, and vital records.
• Provide mediation and advocacy with property owners on the youth’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and or maintain housing.
• Serve as an ongoing liaison between property managers and participants as well as between participants and neighbors.
• Provide information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
• Assist participants in the development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes permanent housing and self-sufficiency; develop an effective, timely referral network to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
• Provide proactive follow-up home visits to ensure stability and further progress towards self-sufficiency; this includes support, advocacy, reducing isolation, listening, problem-solving, and identification of resources to assist with the reintegration of participants in the community.
• Collect and report program data into an evolving data management system.
• Collaborate with other service providers inter/intro agency.
• Ability to work a flexible work schedule; within the hours of operation of the Next Generation Center.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Two to five years of relevant housing services experience preferred.
• Bilingual Spanish Speaker Preferred

Key Competencies:

• Experience working with vulnerable youth including aging-out foster care or court-involved youth.
• Strong Microsoft Office suite skills preferred.

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children’s Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children’s Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children’s Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team.  This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes.  The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.