Housing Specialist - Heartland Human Care Services

Title: Housing Locator & Outreach Specialist

Location: 4822 N. Broadway, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60640

Schedule: Hybrid, Monday to Friday (8:30am-5:00pm)

Summary:

Heartland Human Care Services (HHCS) is looking for a proactive Housing Locator & Outreach Specialist to join our mission-driven team. In this vital role, you will work closely with property owners and managers to secure rental units for program participants, helping veterans and veteran families find stable housing.

Your outreach efforts will also extend to service providers, where you'll help identify homeless veterans and their families who are in need of our program services. By building relationships with landlords and partnering agencies, you will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between those in need and available housing opportunities.

Your individual accountabilities and work volume will be guided by annual Success Objectives, ensuring you have clear goals and measurable impact. If you are passionate about helping others find housing and stability, this is an excellent opportunity to make a real difference.

Why Join Us?

• Make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals seeking education and career pathways.
• Collaborate with a diverse and passionate team dedicated to the mission and vision of our organization.
• Enjoy a hybrid work arrangement, providing flexibility and work-life balance.
• Participate in professional development opportunities to enhance your skills and expertise.

Our Benefits:

•  Medical insurance. BCBS PPO, EPO, and HSA Plans
•  Dental insurance.
•  Vision insurance.
•  401(k) 3% Employer Contribution.
•  Paid maternity leave.
•  Paid paternity leave.
•  Commuter benefits.
•  Student loan assistance.
•  Tuition assistance.
•  Disability insurance
•  FSA Spending Account
•  Life Insurance
•  Employee Assistance Program
•  Special Vendor Discounted Offerings on Travel, Amusement Parks, etc.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Completes Street Outreach in the City of Chicago and Suburban Cook County, searching for assigned veterans who are living in places not meant for habitation.

• Takes the lead in developing and enhancing an extensive network of Veteran housing referral sources in Chicago and Suburban Cook County.

• Outreach to realtors, landlords, housing developers and other housing providers to identify new and existing housing opportunities and build a strong inventory of available housing options for participants.

• Outreach to homeless services providers to identify veterans in need of supportive services.

• Creates and maintains organized lists of available housing options for participants.

• Establishes ongoing relationships with landlords and Veteran housing and homeless services program managers and supervisors.

• Meets with landlords and service providers to help resolve conflicts that might arise with referred participants.

• Pursues housing linkages with housing service providers throughout Chicago and Suburban Cook County.

• Creates and maintains ongoing working relationships with landlords and property managers.

• Locates and secures appropriate private market housing units available to homeless or at-risk individuals.

• Assists with screening participants to determine the appropriateness of potential referrals.

• Attends regularly scheduled Veteran and housing outreach referral programs.

• Networks with other housing service providers to ensure that the housing needs of homeless or at-risk individuals are adequately addressed.

• Participates actively in all supervisory, Unit and agency meetings.

• Initiates requests for assistance or guidance from Supervisor to address new issues or complex concepts affecting adherence to professional standards.

• Participates in organizations and coalitions, which help promote greater resources for clients.

• Develops and maintains professional relationship with social service and government agencies and with other organizations to enhance service delivery and the agency image. Interprets agency programs to other social service and government agencies, the public and civic groups.

• Continues his/her professional development by active, self-initiated participation in/with supervision, in house training, conferences, seminars and independent study.

• Participates in program and operational planning.

• Other duties may be assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Masters degree in a social service field and one (1) year of experience in advocacy services, case management or similar work in a direct service setting or;

• Bachelors degree in a social service field and three years (3) of experience in advocacy services, case management or similar work in a direct service setting or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience in working with special populations including homeless and at-risk individuals; individuals with psychiatric disorders and/or individuals with chemical dependencies.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

• Ability to speak and fluency in a second language including but not limited to the following multi-language abilities:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

• Access to regular, dependable and timely transportation

• A valid driver’s license may be required.

• Ability and comfortability working with people of varying socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

• Excellent communication skills. Strong networker, convener, relationship builder and communicator with experience collaborating with diverse work teams and stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information possessing skills to handle situations in a professional and diplomatic manner.

• A high degree of collaboration and emotional intelligence, self-motivation, and analytical ability.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange; Windows operating systems; and other software routinely used by Heartland Human Care Services.

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

• Ability to work independently and remain self-motivated with minimal direct supervision.

• Strategic thought partnership and consultancy skills.

Work Arrangement:

This role is eligible for a “hybrid” or “remote” work arrangement. If hybrid, it is expected this person would be able to meet for “in person” meetings frequently throughout their week as they complete street outreach and landlord engagement duties. In-person meetings may be required on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.). There may also be the availability to work from home when appropriate.

Work Environment:

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• Each program site operates on a 24/7 basis, 365 days per year. To meet both the needs of our participants and contractual obligations, employees are required to be flexible in regard to scheduling and work location.

• Program sites are located throughout the Chicago area, including the North and South sides of Chicago, as well as the suburbs. Employees may be required to report to any one of our locations on a temporary or permanent basis.

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

• The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk.

• The employee must be able to stoop, kneel and/or crawl.

• The employee is regularly required to use hands to key, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

• The employee must have unrestricted ability to provide physical restraint.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Heartland Human Care Services makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.