Emerge Housing Specialist - Kids Above All

Kids Above All is seeking a housing specialist to join our Emerge program at our Chicago office.

Job Summary: The project is a Rapid Re-Housing program that promotes consumer choice in housing within the private rental market. The Housing Specialist assists with housing search and placement along with leveraging supportive services that will assist the participant household to maintain permanent housing. The Specialist also provides a variety of office and field activities to manage and monitor a rapid re-housing program for youth, performs direct client services, and compiles related documentation.

Work involves orienting all eligible participants to the program and providing housing search and supportive services to promote participants self-sufficiency, integration into the community, and permanency in housing; performing administrative tasks involved in the review and maintenance of a caseload of program participants. The principal duties are performed both in a general office environment and in the field and community where program participants reside.

Essential Functions:

• Assess housing barriers of youth experiencing homelessness to determine housing needs and preferences.
• Develop a housing procurement, financial, and self-sufficiency action plan with clients.
• Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on the youth’s behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain and or maintain housing.
• Assist participants in locating and securing housing of their choice.
• Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. tenant, landlord, referral source, collaborating agencies, debtors and creditors).
• Serve as an ongoing liaison between property managers and participants as well as between participants and neighbors.
• Assist participants in development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
• Apply knowledge of residential lease contracts to educate clients of their rights and responsibilities.
• Maintain accurate daily logs records, monthly outcome reports, and files for each client.
• Transport clients as deemed necessary. Transportation requirements should be limited to housing and job searches.
• Collect and report program data, including but not limited to HMIS reporting and funders’ required data.
• Provide Tenant counseling on topics such as tenant rights, pre-occupancy counseling on Fair Housing Laws and lease agreements, etc.
• Assistance in arranging for utilities.
• Assistance in submitting rental applications and making moving arrangements.
• Outreach and negotiation with owners.
• Assessment of housing for compliance with ESG requirements for habitability, lead-based paint, and rent reasonableness.
• Complete data entry of client information into client management system.
• Consult and review cases with Supervisor and other team members.
• Participate in team meetings, case reviews, staffing, etc.
• Collaboratively evaluates and plans for treatment of youth where problems exist.
• Identifies and understands the scope of community resources and how they can meet the needs of families served
• Inspect condition of premises and assist tenant with coordination for necessary maintenance or informing property owners of maintenance needs.
• Complete initial walk-through inspection reports.
• Completing quarterly household maintenance inspections.
• Stay current in job and/or client specific competencies.
• Other duties as assigned to fulfill the mission of the Department and the Agency.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or related field preferred, not required.
• 1-3 years of relative experience in real estate and inspection practices.
• Familiarity with HUD standards highly preferred.
• Experience working in an Independent Living or similar residential setting preferred
• Previous experience working with the homeless population not required, but desired
• Driver approval standards, plus insured automobile that meet standards for safety and drive-ability
• Flexibility and willingness to work evening and/or weekend hours, if needed to carry out all job responsibilities
• Must be familiar with various ethnic backgrounds and be sensitive to the cultures of clients/families in target communities
• Must be able to appropriately maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion and use sound, independent judgment
• Basic computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Word required
• Requires knowledge and belief in “Housing First” philosophy and strategies.
• Excellent communication skills, particularly listening, mediation, and timely responses, and writing skills.
• Possess strong organizational skills.
• Detail oriented to complete requirements of files and contract compliance.
• Creative thinker/adaptive personality.
• Knowledge or understanding of tenant’s right, advocacy and responsibilities.

Base Salary: $45,000