Housing Navigator

The Housing Navigator is responsible to provide assistance and support to homeless individuals in the following areas: housing focused case management, housing readiness, accessing housing assistance programs (such as Rapid Rehousing) and permanent housing placement. Duties include securing income documentation, creating a budget/savings plan, coordinating service referrals and crisis intervention. Working within the Coordinated Entry System and maintaining thorough and accurate records in both written form (hard copies) and through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is required and are key components of this position. The goal will be to work with Help Center clients seeking housing services by developing a Housing Stability Plan (HSP) to guide participants to permanent housing and other needed services.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Conducts CES survey and housing assessment to determine appropriate housing intervention and service needs.

2. Navigates persons to various forms of housing that include (but are not limited to) interim housing, shared housing, and permanent housing placements.

3. Refers participants to agencies and programs that will assist with safe and stable housing, when appropriate.

4. Develops and implements an individual housing plan for each participant.

5. Follow-up with each participant weekly (at a minimum) to ensure they are making progress towards their housing placement goals.

6. Takes thorough notes in HMIS (in GIRP format), documenting each interaction with participants.

7. Connects program participants to community resources that will support the goal of permanent housing acquisition (i.e. benefits advocacy, food pantries, employment services).

8. Facilitates access to services required to foster housing readiness (credit repair, legal aid, housekeeping, money management, tenant rights and responsibilities, etc.).

9. Ensures participants have the necessary documentation to secure housing (e.g. valid identification, income verification, bank statements) and develops a personal budget with participants.

10. Assists participants with completing housing applications and securing housing of their choice. Transports participants to housing and job searches and occasional visits to relevant social service agencies.

11. Provides participant with listings from housing location team, housing authority, internet (e.g. Craigslist), and internal database of landlords/management firms/owners.

12. Provides advocacy to help address issues and barriers between landlord and participants that may prevent move in. Assists with referrals to Fair Housing as needed.

13. Provides information and instruction to participants regarding how to complete a housing application, housing search, tenant rights and responsibilities, including observation of rental agreement rules, and being a good neighbor.

14. Maintains accurate and complete participant files, exit files, timesheets, daily activity logs (if applicable), mileage logs, payment reimbursement, HMIS, and other reports as directed; all files are stored according to best practices and as defined by LAHSA (double locked).

15. Establishes and maintains a positive, productive working relationships with mental health programs, shelter programs, police, local neighborhood councils (and other local officials), and providers of services and resources to homeless persons.

16. Attends staff meetings, case conferences, training workshops and community meetings as needed.

17. Works with Problem Solving Specialist to resolve participant’s housing crisis through PSAF when appropriate.

18. Works collaboratively with HOTV CES Housing Navigation Team to stabilize and house participants effectively and efficiently.

Other Duties

1. Performs any other duties, projects and responsibilities as assigned by manager.

2. Works with outsourced security to maintain safety of participants, staff, volunteers, and visitors always diffusing potential disputes/confrontations.

3. Observes department guidelines to conduct personal business during breaks and lunch hour.

4. Projects a positive professional image and adheres to organizational dress code.

5. Self-identifies potentially unsafe systems/processes/situations and takes initiative to report to manager/supervisor.

6. Observes department guidelines concerning absences and reports such absences in accordance with departmental procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

• BA in Social Work or equivalent preferred

• Excellent written and verbal skills

• Ability to speak sufficient Spanish to communicate with homeless clients

• Proven experience teaching Life Skills

• Three-year’s experience in a homeless services setting

• TB test required

Knowledge and Skills

• Willing and able to work well with no or low-income homeless individuals

• Have a high sense of morals and compassion for the homeless and their needs

• Demonstrates courtesy, mutual respect and compassion in dealing with others

• Initiates and presents positive solutions to problems

• Demonstrates effective working relations and works effectively as part of the team to facilitate the organization’s ability to meet goals and objectives

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PHYSICAL DEMANDS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. Employee is required to: walk and climb stairs; Handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; Reach with hands and arms; Communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written word; Be mobile by moving oneself from place

to place quickly and easily; Repeat various motions with the wrists, hands and fingers; Be able to have visual activity for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks; Drive vehicle in and around Los Angeles County; Be able to enter various buildings that may require climbing stairs. Be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. Use a desktop and/or laptop computer; copy, postage and fax machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing.

• EEO: HTM (Hope the Mission) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, HOTV complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

• HTM will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if HOTV is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s Fair Chance Act webpage.