Outreach Housing Specialist-valley Water Project - San Jose, United States - HomeFirst Services

Description

POSITION:
Outreach Housing Specialist
PROGRAM/


LOCATION:
Santa Clara County,

CA

SUPERVISOR:
Program Manager


STATUS:
Regular/Temporary, Full-time, Non-Exempt


COMPENSATION:
$29.77/Hourly


Program Summary:

HomeFirst outreach teams are designed to connect homeless individuals in encampments to shelter, interim housing, resources, and permanent housing opportunities.

The target population for this position is vulnerable, chronically homeless individuals who are residing in encampments in Santa Clara County.

Program staff will provide a consistent presence in the designated service areas to build rapport and trust with unsheltered homeless residents.

The goal of the program is to connect participants to services that will result in permanent housing.

The Housing Specialist will work in partnership with the outreach team to meet with our program participants and assist them in locating, securing, and maintaining permanent housing in the community.

They play a key role in representing agency and program participant interests to landlords and developing strong working relationships with property managers/owners.

To this end, the Housing Specialist participates in our collective effort to end and prevent homelessness.


Agency Summary
Established in 1980, with 40+ years of experience, we are the premier Silicon Valley provider of homelessness services. We believe that everyone has the potential to get housed and stay housed. We relentlessly focus on eliminating barriers to housing and creating stability
for everyone we serve.

HomeFirst serves more than 6,000 adults, veterans, families, and young adults each year at multiple locations from Gilroy to Menlo Park - all of Santa Clara County as well as southern San Mateo County.

Services include:

• Homelessness prevention
• Emergency and coldweather shelters
• Comprehensive Veterans' services
• Rapid Re-Housing programs
• Bridge Housing Communities
• Emergency Interim Housing
• Affordable permanent housing
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Streetbased outreach

Benefits of joining the HomeFirst Team:

• Professional growth opportunities within the organization
• 100% medical coverage for employees with an opportunity to add dependents for a shared cost
• 401k match up to 5%
• 12 observed holidays
• PTO accrual begins with 120 hours annually and increases with tenure
• 4 hours of Community Engagement PTO provided annually
• Access to our Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) services
• Pet insurance options available

Qualification

• One year of paid or volunteer experience in social work or related human

services

• It May be substituted by two years of customer service experience and lived

experience with homelessness

• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite
• Valid CA driver's license and insurance and reliable transportation

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive Housing Specialist services

This may include:
o Landlord outreach and support

• Housing search
• Application assistance
• Advocacy
• Financial assistance administration
• Crisis deescalation
• Risk assessment and mandated reporting
• Connection to community resources, i.e., eviction prevention
• Other direct service provision
• Meet with participants at a frequency and location determined by their needs

including in an encampment setting.

• Support internal case management and program support specialist activities as needed

This may include:

• Streetbased or community outreach efforts
• Conducting joint participant meetings
• Workshop coordination
• Participate in case conferencing and collaborative care coordination.
• Maintain compliance with contract, agency, and licensing requirements.
• Achieve identified program and position deliverables.
• Adhere to task completion deadlines.
• Maintain thorough and accurate documentation of participant services in accordance with agency and contractual standards.
• Attend all jobrelated meetings, including program staff meetings and agencywide meetings.
• Participate in opportunities for learning and skill maintenance/development.
• Utilize supervision appropriately, maintain open lines of communication, and

provide updates on activity.


Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge

• Ability to walk long distances and on rough terrain (such as trails to creekside

encampments and high traffic areas)

• Ability to lift and carry outreach supplies (usually in a backpack, up to 30 lbs.)
• Understanding of and sensitivity to the needs of the homeless
• Commitment to increasing the housing stability and selfsufficiency of the homeless
• Strong verbal and written skills; knowledge of multiple languages is desirable
• Good problemsolving skills and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks
• Demonstrated effective communication skills
• Knowledge and understanding of community resources and human services
• Initiative, flexibility, and the capacity to respond effectively in all situations
• Good collaboration skills and the ability to work independent