Housing Specialist - BSCC/ARG/WHO at Amity Foundation – 3316 S. Main St. Los Angeles, California

Amity Foundation, an internationally acclaimed Teaching, and Therapeutic Community is seeking compassionate and enthusiastic individuals with a desire to teach, learn and join our community a Housing Specialist. This groundbreaking opportunity will allow you to work with our prison and re-entry programs helping the community and will also enhance your training and experience in the field.

Amity Foundation is a safe place where people can change in an environment that fosters trust; where new values can be formed; responsibility developed, and lasting relationships built. Amity is dedicated to the inclusion and habilitation of people marginalized by addiction, homelessness, trauma, criminality, incarceration, poverty, racism, sexism, and violence. Amity is committed to research, development implementation, and dissemination of information regarding community building.

The Housing Specialist will perform an array of enrollment services that assist students with obtaining and maintaining permanent housing. Responsible for coordinating all aspects of housing support services to ensure seamless placement to properties to secure housing for the individuals served.

• Receive referrals forms request CA ID, Social security cards, paycheck stubs or SSI award letter as verification of income.
• Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
• Schedule over the phone screening utilizing designated screening survey.
• Schedule in office enrollment signing of documents.
• Update ARG Data Tracker from referral to enrollment.
• Maintain updated client records with plans, case notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
• Refer potential tenant to property management for sustainable permanent housing.
• Delivery of ARG rental checks to property management.
• Maintain files accordingly (i.e., physically in designated file storage area)
• Provide referrals for supportive services.
• Assist with completing applications, or other documentation support.
• Advocate to property owners or potential property owners and develop relationships to identify affordable and supporting housing owners.
• Navigate subsidized housing programs, the appeal process, and resources.
• Accompany individuals when they are conducting a housing search.
• Identify affordable grocers, food banks, transportation, social service agencies, and other resources in housing areas. Assist in the acquisition of furniture and/or appliances.
• Assist in conflict resolution with property owners, employers, neighbors, and associates.
• Crisis planning due to relapse or financial problems.
• Attend workshops, meetings, and trainings as requested by supervisor.
• May serve as a Community Advocate role in addition to the job as requested by community leadership.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Three years of experience in providing outreach, reentry services or case management.
• Knowledge of Los Angeles social service providers HACLA, HACOLA, DHS, DMH, and other community housing resource providers.

Preferred:

• A bachelor’s degree in behavioral health or social science.
• One year of experience providing permanent housing identification and placement, outreach, reentry services or case management within a culturally diverse population.

Certifications or Licenses:

Required: NONE

Preferred: NONE

Skills/Abilities:

Proficient with MS Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to manage tasks, competing deadlines, to meet productivity expectations

Able to serve a diverse vulnerable client population and communicate effectively in a culturally competent manner

Ability to integrate and align housing opportunities with participant interest, proximity to job and essential community resources.

• Ability to work co-operatively with network of landlords and community resource providers.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in the community and within the organization.

• Ensure that excellence and integrity are applied to professional responsibilities to provide optimal services to participants.
• Understand and appropriately apply Amity policies and procedures and adhere to agency wide practices and regulations.
• Demonstrate ethical behavior to maintain professional standards and safeguard the participant.

• Participate in community building activities as appropriate to position.
• Protect program participants’ health, safety, welfare, and confidentiality of records and participant information.
• As an interface between potential landlords, community resources, and participants, an attitude of appropriate advocacy for participants is essential.
• Demonstrate professionalism, effective work habits and responsible living

Physical Requirements:

• Faculty must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Frequently required to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time.
• Frequently sitting and typing for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to reach, walk, climb, pull, push, grasp, stretch, stoop.
• Frequently required talk, hear, see, and use repetitive motions.
• Frequently able to communicate verbally and in written form.
• Frequently able to use all types of vision, such as close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception, to complete daily tasks
• Required to wear comfortable and office appropriate clothes.

Mental Demands:

• Ability to change direction as priorities shift.
• Ability to thrive in an environment that requires one to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Ability to professionally work under pressure with difficult or temperamental students & faculty.
• Ability to handle mental and emotional stress related to the position.

Work Conditions:

• Generally, in an indoor office setting.

Environmental Conditions:

• The noise level in the work environment is moderate but can be loud.
• The temperature in the work environment is usually moderate to cool but can be cold or hot.

Travel:

• Occasionally required travel locally by vehicle as required by the job.

Full-Time

On-Site

Non-Exempt position

Location: Main St, Los Angeles, 90007