Housing Assistant

Type: Temporary, up to 1 year, limited benefits

Department: Rental Assistance Division

An assessment will be conducted on candidates selected to move forward in the recruitment process.

This position reports to the office at 1122 Broadway Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. No remote work options available.

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• 9/80 Compressed Work Schedule (office closed every other Friday)
• 14 paid holidays
• 457 tax-deferred savings plan
• Social security exempt
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,000 annually
• Vision
• Flexible spending account
• Health and wellness perks
• Rewards & Recognition program

To see full benefits package, please visit:

The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) is an award-winning public housing agency in the City of San Diego that provides innovative housing assistance programs for households with low income or experiencing homelessness. The San Diego City Council, in its role as the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego, oversees SDHC. SDHC helps pay rent for more than 17,000 households with low income annually; is a leader in collaborative efforts to address homelessness, such as the Community Action Plan on Homelessness for the City of San Diego and SDHC’s homelessness initiative, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, which has created more than 11,000 housing solutions since November 2014 for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness; and creates and preserves affordable rental housing, with more than 23,000 affordable units in service in the City today with SDHC’s participation.

About the Department:

The Rental Assistance Division (RAD) is the San Diego Housing Commission’s (SDHC) largest department. It administers the federally supported Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), which provides rent subsidies for over 15,000 San Diego households. WithinRAD is the Workforce & Economic Development department, which is dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by helping housing-assisted families become economically self-sufficient.

About the Position:

The Housing Assistant(s) will work within the Occupancy Departments in the Rental Assistance Division. The Occupancy Departments mainly manage the cases of Section 8 participants by following HUD guidelines and the SDHC Admin Plan. The Housing Assistants will be responsible for processing recertifications, interims and rent requests among other tasks. We aid clients while they are in the program and we communicate with other agencies, property management companies and other organizations in order to help families with their housing needs. We foster social and economic stability for vulnerable populations in the City of San Diego through affordable housing, opportunities for financial self-reliance and homeless solutions.

Incumbents will be required to work independently but will be part of a team environment where the unit support each other as needed, attends periodic meetings and trainings related to the program updates and regulations. On average, the Occupancy teams consist of 8-10 Housing Assistants and one Office Specialist.

The ideal candidate will be team oriented, demonstrate a positive attitude, open to learn, flexible, a fast learner, is detail oriented and has intermediate experience using different Microsoft Products. Strong customer service skills and excellent multitasking abilities a plus! Strong case management experience is highly preferred.

Class Characteristics:

Incumbents at this level are capable of performing the full range of routine to complex rental assistance and property management support duties, including managing a caseload in areas such as eligibility, leasing, occupancy, or rental increase calculation. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. This class is distinguished from the Senior Housing Assistant in that the latter performs more difficult and demanding specialized rental assistance program functions, requiring a broader and more in-depth understanding of Commission rental assistance programs and applicable laws, regulations, and interpretations requiring additional training, knowledge, skill, and/or experience.

Examples of Essential Job Functions:

• Conducts pre-screening intake interviews; evaluates pre-screening questionnaires and prepares case workups for approval; assists in maintaining “ready pools” of eligible clients for rental assistance and public housing programs; updates master waiting list, including denials, drops, and reinstatements; conducts intake briefings to explain programs, requirements, and answer client questions.
• Conducts initial client eligibility interviews; collects and reviews completed applicant declarations and supporting documents; enters information into system.
• Sends out written requests for third party verifications of family income, assets, and employment; runs credit reports and criminal history checks; verifies immigration status; conducts additional verifications through the various third parties and other agencies as needed.
• Evaluates case files and verification data and applies policies and procedures to determine program eligibility to meet stringent processing deadlines.
• Advises clients on their rights and responsibilities under Housing Commission and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements; works with clients who are moving in or porting in from other jurisdictions to ensure lease up requirements are met; calculates and certifies client rental assistance and rent portion amounts based on program requirements; generates Notices of Intended Action in response to client failure to provide required information and changes in eligibility.
• Processes suppressions or rental assistance payments to landlords in cases of client of contract terminations or other applicable situations.
• Conducts annual recertification interviews and processes to meet stringent processing deadlines; reviews historical data in client case files; sends out and evaluates the results of third party verifications and other checks performed to verify continued eligibility; reviews and calculates tenants’ income and assets.
• Collects data, investigates any discrepancies, and makes determinations regarding changes in family size and composition and income levels.
• Generates and mails notices of rent subsidy changes to clients and landlords in accordance with deadlines; monitors status of all recertification cases to ensure processing deadlines are met to avoid lapses in payments or incorrect payments.
• Receives and evaluates notices of client income and family changes and takes action to process interim adjustments in accordance with processing deadlines as required by policy and procedure; generates notices to clients and lease amendments to landlords; documents all information and actions taken in client case files.
• Receives requests from participants to move and determines their eligibility to move; issues move vouchers and provides move packet with forms; monitors pending moves for the required period of time; reviews completed move forms and packets for all required information before forwarding on to the leasing section.
• Processes requests from property owners regarding rent increases for all housing assistance program participants.
• Performs rent reasonableness studies; works with Housing Inspectors regarding rent reasonableness determination; reviews rent data to verify unit comparability or documents differences; makes determinations regarding unit upgrades and amenities and allowable rental rate differences; reviews property owner requests for rental increases, evaluates unit and area data, and makes determinations on allowable rent increases.
• Explains Commission Fair Market Rent and rent reasonableness standards and limitations to property owners and tenants.
• Makes determinations on allowed rental rates, negotiates rents with owners, and documents basis for decisions; conducts telephone quality control checks on rent comparables provided by property owners.
• Prepares, documents, and updates client case files, including all fact finding information, telephone contacts, and actions taken; prepares worksheets to update client information in the Commission’s databases.
• Generates letters and correspondences, assembles information packets, and schedules clients for briefings and interviews.
• Stays alert to indications of program violation or potential fraud; identifies possible violations and conducts initial investigations to resolve or document suspected violations; documents client case files regarding investigation results; prepares client pay-back agreements in cases of documented rental assistance overpayments; recommends referral to the Quality Assurance Unit as needed.
• Answers questions and responds to complaints from clients, landlords, and the public; explains Commission policies and procedures and available courses of action; pulls case records and conducts research regarding problems or concerns; issues Notices of Intended Action in response to client failure to provide necessary documentation or make payments; and takes follow-up corrective action as appropriate.
• Informally mediates conflicts between clients and landlords; escalates to supervisor or other work unit as necessary.
• Researches, compiles, and organizes information and data from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to assigned areas; checks and tabulates standard mathematical or statistical data; prepares and assembles various reports and other informational materials.
• Maintains accurate and detailed records, verifies accuracy of information, researches discrepancies, and records information; prepares intake and client case files for archiving.
• Receives, opens, time stamps, sorts, and distributes incoming and interdepartmental mail; prepares outgoing mail.
• Ensures compliance with various stringent rules, regulations, and timelines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Basic eligibility and case management practices and procedures.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures relate to the Housing
• Assistance Program.
• Departmental practices and procedures and applicable Commission policies.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Principles of business letter writing and record-keeping.
• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and Commission staff.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible eligibility and case management work with accuracy, speed, and minimal supervision.
• Interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Learn and understand the organization and operation of the Commission and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Research, analyze, and summarize data and prepare accurate and logical written reports.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Make accurate mathematical and statistical computations.
• Organize, maintain, and update office database and records systems.
• Operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and word-processing, database, spreadsheet, and other software applications programs.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education & Experience:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade, and two (2) years of responsible experience in performing eligibility determination and case management or related experience involving research, analysis, interpretation, and application of policies, regulations, financial reports, contracts, application review, and referral duties similar to those required by the Commission.

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of, or the ability to obtain Nan McKay training and certification desired.