Housing Specialist

Job Title: PSH Housing Specialist - Adult Shelter
Reports to: Community Programs Manager
Hours: Full Time, non-exempt, generally 8-5 M-F (occasional evening and weekend work)
Location: Gresham Women's Shelter (primary)/Chestnut Tree Inn Shelter (both in East Multnomah)
Compensation: $21.65/hour to $25.70/hour, depending on experience
Benefits: Medical, dental, short and long term disability, AD&D insurance, holidays and paid leave
Want to help make a difference? Our Just Future (formerly known as Human Solutions) counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity - today and for future generations.
We partnerwith people and communities impacted by poverty so they can achieve long-term housing and economic security. We invest in affordable housing and community assets that contribute to strong, inclusive neighborhoods. We advocatewith our community for policies and investments that expand housing and economic opportunity, eliminate wealth inequality and end poverty
East Portland/East Multnomah County, Oregon is our home and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.
Our Just Future envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share in the security, hopes and advantages of a thriving, supportive community.
Our Just Future operates as a nimble, financially strong organization driven by our passion, strategic goals and guiding principles.
Diversity, inclusion and equity are fundamental values for Our Just Future (OJF) both internally and externally. OJF has an Anti-Oppression Diversity Committee, which serves as a sounding board for new internal policies and procedures to make sure that we're taking into account diversity and inclusion. It also helps with diversity-related projects, such as coordinating staff diversity trainings and providing ongoing input into our equity work.
Our Just Future is working to end homelessness and poverty in our community because everyone deserves a safe place to call home.
What Our Just Future Can Offer You : We offer a comprehensive array of benefits in support of your physical, emotional and financial well-being. A few highlights:

• Employer paid premiums for employee health insurance.
• Generous paid time off, 13 paid holidays, a floating birthday holiday and the ability to maintain a great work/life balance.
• Employer paid premiums for short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Access to an employee assistance program.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• Professional development opportunities, including employee driven committees and monthly optional staff workshops.
• Access to wellness initiatives and resources including things such as walking groups, yoga classes, workshops on stress management, self-care and healthy living.
• Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement plan with a 2% employer match after three months of employment.
• A six-week paid sabbatical after every seven years of consecutive employment with the agency.

SUMMARY
Provide housing search and housing placement support to vulnerable, homeless single adults staying at the Gresham Women's Shelter and the Chestnut Inn Women's Shelter so they can secure safe and stable housing. These shelters are available to women, trans-women, non-binary, or gender fluid/queer individuals. Complete the Coordinated Access for Adults assessments with each shelter participant so they may have access to housing opportunities within Multnomah County. Work with participants to identify their natural supports and explore permanent supportive housing (PSH) and other long term housing programs. Provide strengths-based advocacy that may be intensive and could include persons with disabilities, mental health diagnosis, and/or substance use addictions (past or present). Build working and collaborative relationships with landlords and other agencies in the community to help facilitate viable and appropriate housing options and resources for participants. Provide temporary rental assistance and supportive services to participants. This position will work with our Adult Shelter Housing Team, which consists of a Community Programs Manager, Housing Program Coordinator, Housing Specialists, Retention Workers and a Peer Support Specialist, as well as work with the shelter staff members.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential

• Perform housing intakes with homeless single adults staying at shelter and set housing goals with them based on their strengths and barriers.
• Conduct in-depth strength-based assessment with shelter participants to identify housing and work history, physical/emotional health, legal issues, debt, social support, strengths, struggles, and available resources. Monitor progress and needs.
• Assist participants with housing search including helping them to overcome barriers to housing, assisting with letters of explanation and requests for reasonable accommodation where applicable.
• Complete Coordinated Access for Adults assessment with participants.
• Work collaboratively with a broad diversity of homeless single adults including people of all races, nationalities, languages, ages, and abilities.
• Facilitate budget discussions with participants to formulate and implement a plan that allows them to successfully manage financial resources, provide for current needs, pay down debts where possible, and plan for the future.

• Apply program funds appropriately to each household based on their goal plan and assess the duration of participation in program based on their identified needs.
• Deliver culturally responsive services within the framework of Assertive Engagement and Trauma Informed Care to effectively motivate individuals to achieve their goals.

• Use creativity and resourcefulness to ensure that participants are aware of all community resources available for them and advocate with other service providers as appropriate, which may include, but are not limited to counseling services and legal services.

• Keep current on regional housing laws, renters rights, including Fair Housing.

• Attend Coordinated Access Adult Case Conferencing meetings and related meetings.

• Maintain accurate, complete, and up-to-date documentation of service activities using agency procedures, forms and data reporting systems (ETO and Service Point/HMIS). Submit paperwork in a timely manner.
• Prepare and submit monthly/quarterly/yearly reports to the funder.

Secondary

• Assist with establishing and maintaining relationships with community partners, including landlords.
• Provide retention services to participants as needed.
• Work with property managers to resolve any issues arising from the tenancy of single adults and assist other staff in this area as needed.

• Conduct telephone or written follow ups with each household in accordance with requirements of funding sources.
• Participate in regular supervision check-ins, monthly department staff meetings and all staff trainings.
• Participate in community meetings/outreach events as appropriate, including but not limited to information and referral and interagency partnerships.

• Work collaboratively with shelter staff to meet the needs of the participants.

• Other duties as assigned. It is impossible to predict the many requests and assignments that can and will be made in this position. Flexibility and a cooperative spirit are important for the successful operation of our agency.

QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and abilities required.
Knowledge of:

• Development and implementation of client centered service planning.
• Local and regional housing markets, basic landlord tenant laws and tenant rights.
• Social, economic, and systemic issues creating poverty, working successfully with practices and techniques related to people with low income to achieve greater self-sufficiency.
• Community resources and agencies providing social services needed by the homeless population.
• The effects of trauma on individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty.
• Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid Rehousing (RRH) programs.

Ability to:

• Coordinate delivery of services with the Adult Shelter Housing Team, and the Gresham Women's Shelter and Chestnut Tree Shelter Managers and staff.
• Knowledge of, and/or willingness to learn and apply an Assertive Engagement model of providing services and incorporating Trauma-Informed principles to services rendered.
• Empower and support homeless and low income persons in life choices and change.
• Non-judgmentally elicit information and help problem solve around sensitive issues including, but not limited to, alcohol/drug use, domestic violence, mental health, and criminal background.
• Work cooperatively and productively with volunteers and staff.
• Develop and maintain productive working relationships within Our Just Future, public and private agencies, the general public, landlords and participants.
• Be culturally sensitive and competent when working with diverse populations.
• Partner with participants to identify their strengths, needs, options and effective solutions.
• Complete paperwork, documentation and data requirements in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate and organized files with required documents.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries with all households served.
• Understand and follow complex written and oral instructions, rules and procedures.
• Work independently and be a vital and contributing part of a team.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Any combination of education and work experience in social services, housing assistance and case management totaling one year or a Bachelor's Degree in social service/social sciences field with at least six (6) months case management experience
• At least one year experience developing and/or implementing individualized service plans.
• Experience with crisis intervention, community networking and resource development.
• Experience delivering services in a culturally responsive approach using Assertive Engagement techniques (i.e. Strength Based Case Management, Motivational Interviewing, Assertive Community Treatment).
• Bi-Lingual/Bi-Cultural preferred but not required.
• English fluency required, written and spoken.
• General computer, word processing and spreadsheet skills and willingness to advance computer skills
• Experience and intermediate skills with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision.
TRANSPORTATION
Possession of a valid driver's license, clean driving record and reliable transportation required. Vehicle insurance coverage limits must be $100,000 bodily injury liability for one person, $300,000 bodily injury liability for all people in an accident and $100,000 property damage liability.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
TO APPLY
Please have resume, cover letter and three professional references (include: name, phone, email, job title, and professional relationship to you (for example: supervisor or co-worker)) ready upon applying. Letters of reference are not necessary. This position is open until filled. Please no phone calls.
Human Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We strive to build a diverse workforce that reflects the population we serve. We strongly encourage people of color to apply for this position.