Eviction Prevention Caseworker- Stable Families Program in Bridgeport, Connecticut at NEW REACH INC

About Us:

Since 1990, New Reach has been a dedicated leader in providing shelter, housing, stabilization, and support for children, families, and individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness in the Greater New Haven and Fairfield County areas. We believe in empowering those affected by homelessness and poverty to achieve lasting independence.

Why Work with Us?

At New Reach, you will be part of a compassionate, innovative, and inclusive team that uses the most progressive approaches to inspire independence. You’ll play a key role in a transformative movement to end homelessness and food insecurity through prevention, support, and housing solutions that create long-term stability for those we serve.

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 35 hours per week, including a 30-minute paid lunch.

Comprehensive benefits package:

· Medical, vision, and dental

· 401(k) Retirement plan

· Paid Time Off (PTO)

· (12) Paid Holidays (1) Floating Holiday

· Life Insurance

· Long-Term Disability

Join us and be part of a team that is charting a new path toward a world with fewer evictions, more stability, and lasting independence for all.

Primary Purpose: In partnership with community residents and stakeholders, New Reach provides housing stabilization support to households at risk of eviction and homelessness in Bridgeport, CT. Households prioritized for services include low-income families with children residing in Bridgeport’s public housing or other housing subsidized by Bridgeport Housing Authority. The eviction prevention caseworker acts as the first point of contact to provide support and advocacy, housing counseling, and community linkages with the goal of housing stabilization. Other populations or housing support services may be assigned as secondary purposes when needed.

Essential Functions:

· Accept referrals from local and regional sources including but not limited to community residents, 211, housing authorities, landlords, legal aid entities, nonprofit organizations, and other community stakeholders.

· Initiate contact with referred households to describe program services, assess program eligibility, complete program intakes, and begin an assessment of services needed to support housing stabilization.

· Co-create person-centered goal plans with clients and other parties involved in services.

· Provide intensive home and community-based case management services to address unmet housing and health needs through direct support, coaching, mentoring, crisis intervention, life skills training, advocacy, and linkages to community resources.

· Engage with property managers/owners to provide information on service components, advocate for housing rights, and mediate housing concerns effectively.

· Assist clients with stabilizing housing, including landlord/tenant mediation, linkage to housing court legal representation, affordable housing search, tenancy skill building and responsibilities, fiscal preparedness for independent rent payment, and housing maintenance.

· Assist clients with identifying unaddressed needs and encourage an array of integrated support/services related to benefits, employment and income, education, housing, medical conditions, mental health, substance use, family and/or community-based support, and access to mainstream services. Refer and facilitate engagement in appropriate services to meet the household’s needs.

· Work collaboratively and maintain positive, professional communication with program partners including client’s household members and natural support networks, property owners/managers, housing authorities, legal entities, mediation services, diversion services, and community providers to support housing retention and stability.

· Utilize the statewide HMIS database, Google Sheets, and Smartsheet to document HUD assessments, case notes, services, financial requests, and client outcomes in compliance with standards and expectations.

· Maintain on-going client files, including assessments, housing stabilization goal plans, referrals, financial assistance requests, correspondence, and case notes.

· Participate in internal, local, regional, and statewide meetings and community outreach events as assigned.

· Develop a strong community profile with the homeless services, mental health, substance use, and/or HIV/AIDS community as an advocate for clients.

Qualifications:

· BA/BS in Human Services or related field, OR associate degree and 2 years of human services experience.

· Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation with proof of insurance.

· Highly motivated, with excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.

· Ability to provide intensive and comprehensive services to households facing housing crisis, including advocacy and mediation skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team, to support the mission of New Reach.

· High level of organizational skills to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point.

· Experience with housing, housing law, and provision of services to the identified population preferred.

· Knowledge of leasing procedures and fair housing laws are preferred.

· Bilingual in Spanish, both written and oral preferred.

Expectations:

· Work in agency offices, client homes, and the community with flexibility to meet the needs of each client.

· Have a solutions-based approach to presented problems.

· Be supportive, engaging, and encouraging to peers and staff.

· Be adaptable to change, with willingness to take on new challenges and opportunities.

· Maintain strict confidentiality concerning any client’s or employee’s personal information, living information, and/or HIV status.

· Commit to the values of New Reach: Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion and Initiative.

· Adhere to all New Reach’s Policies and Procedures.

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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The associate must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.