HOUSING SPECIALIST III

Company:  County of Riverside
Location: Riverside
Closing Date: 22/10/2024
Hours: Full Time
Type: Permanent
Job Requirements / Description
ABOUT THE POSITION
The County of Riverside's Housing and Workforce Solutions Department (HWS), Housing Authority Division, is seeking to fill two Housing Specialist III positions to support the Special Programs Team in Riverside.
The Housing Specialist III will be responsible for overseeing the processing of housing programs, providing outreach, and completing administrative functions as needed. They will also be available for housing inspections when required. The incumbent will be tasked with assisting the more challenging clients being served and will submit data from their information system for auditing purposes.
The incumbent will also be responsible for administering housing assistance to low-income individuals through Section 8 and other related housing programs. This includes collaborating with licensed residential care providers who deliver care and supervision to disabled and elderly adults with serious mental illnesses. The role involves providing complex and responsible support to the Supervising Development Specialist and performing other related duties as required. Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for other duties as assigned. Travel throughout the county is required.
The department desires candidates who have experience working for the County of Riverside's Department of Housing Authority, including lead or supervisory experience, experience in managing caseloads for housing programs, and a track record of effectively working with internal and external individuals for business purposes.
Meet the Team!
The Housing Authority Division is responsible for administering the county's federally funded Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), which includes both tenant-based vouchers and project-based vouchers, Moderate Rehabilitation Program, and Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing Program, and is also the housing successor to the former Redevelopment Agencies for the County of Riverside and City of Coachella. The purpose of these programs is to combat homelessness, provide decent and safe housing, expand the supply of affordable housing, increase homeownership opportunities for low-moderate income households and to oversee the wind down of the Former Redevelopment Agencies for the County of Riverside and City of Coachella.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Participate in the planning, monitoring, prioritizing, assigning, and reviewing the work of staff responsible for providing contracted housing assistance to residents of licensed residential care facilities or low-income persons under the Section 8 and related assisted housing programs including field inspections, tenant/owner relations and eligibility for HUD programs or in collaboration with State Department of Community Care Licensing (CCL).
• Participate in the selection of assisted housing program staff; provide or coordinate staff training; for operators, residential care staff and department employees; provide technical consultation with licensed operators as needed; work with employees to correct deficiencies.
• Recommend and assist in the implementation of goals and objectives; establish contract goals or schedules and methods for providing Section 8 and related assisted housing program activities and services; monitor outcomes for contract vendors; implement policies and procedures.
• Assist the Supervising Development Specialist in responding to inquiries related to establishing new facilities or Section 8 and related assisted housing programs; respond to and resolve difficult tenant and property owner complaints and public inquiries.
• Review caseload files or contract services for quality control; monitor workflow.
• Conduct informal reviews of tenants that have been terminated; process damage claims by property owners.
• Conduct briefings of property owners or operators and administrators under the State CCL or Section 8 and related assisted housing programs; provide information to new property owners or administrators under CCL or Section 8 and related assisted housing programs.
• Perform inspections of housing units as required; develop service quality improvement initiatives for both contract and private facilities; implement and monitor outcomes; negotiate rent agreements with property owners and tenants; collect delinquent overpayments from tenants or property owners.
• Review and prepare various reports on matters related to program operations and activities.
• Answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES: Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience in determining initial and continued occupancy, eligibility for care and supervision as defined by State CCL contracted supportive services or Section 8 and related assisted housing programs.
Training: Equivalent to the completion of twelfth grade supplemented by additional course work in social science or a related field. (Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree may substitute for one year of program eligibility experience.)
Knowledge of: Principles of lead supervision and training; State CCL or Housing Authority Section 8 and related assisted housing programs, policies and procedures; pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations; operations, services and activities in providing housing assistance to low-income persons under the CCL regulations or Section 8 and related assisted housing programs; safety and health standards; interview techniques; modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment; principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation; principles and procedures of record-keeping.
Ability to: Organize and review the work of technical and clerical personnel; lead and train assigned staff; interpret and apply federal, state and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations; identify and respond to program participants and public issues and concerns; gain cooperation through discussion and persuasion; perform housing inspections, determine needed repairs and estimate cost of repairs; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action necessary to resolve complaints; identify and respond to staff, tenants and property owner needs and requests; work effectively with people from a variety of social, economic and racial backgrounds; work independently in the absence of supervision; perform accurate mathematical calculations; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including Housing Authority staff, program participants and the general public.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Other Requirements
License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.
What's Next?
Open to All Applicants
This recruitment is open to all applicants. Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the department.
Applicants who are current County of Riverside employees and/or current employees of the
Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of applications received.
Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the County.
For questions regarding this recruitment
For specific questions regarding this position, contact Bianca Galaviz at bgalaviz @rivco.org .
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APPLICATION INFORMATION
Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference.The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here:
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.
If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).
Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.
Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.
Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.
General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.
Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.
Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply ' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, .
If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.
Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT : County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
  • Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
  • Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
  • Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:
  • A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
  • A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
  • A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

  • CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".
    Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.
    Note:
    This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
    Option 2.
    If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
    DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.
    VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):
    0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
    4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
    10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)
    Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.
    SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.
    HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.
    BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).
    BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.
    DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.
    POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.
    OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.
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