NYSESRP Program Coordinator, Housing - Commonpoint Queens
New York, NY 10001
About the Job
Commonpoint seeks a NYSESRP Program Coordinator, Housing to provide direct services to refugee and other humanitarian migrant clients under the New York State Enhanced Services for Refugees Program (NYSESRP). The Program Coordinator’s primary responsibilities include ensuring that clients are provided with safe, sanitary and affordable housing through cultivation of relationships with local landlords to both identify market-rate housing units for Commonpoint clients as well as ensure affordability for long-term self-sufficiency. (While Commonpoint’s clients will have access to rental assistance funds through our agency, they are typically not in receipt of public housing subsidies or vouchers.) In addition to housing-related duties, Program Coordinator will also provide general extended case management to a small caseload of clients. The Housing Specialist will report to the Program Manager, NYSESRP.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Undergoes thorough training on NYSESRP program requirements, enrollment process, service delivery, documentation, intake, case noting and reporting procedures.
Housing Duties & Responsibilities
- Leads efforts to ensure that safe, sanitary and affordable permanent housing is identified and secured for newly arriving and existing refugee and other humanitarian migrant clients.
- In collaboration with other Commonpoint Housing Specialist staff, conducts outreach to develop and maintain positive relationships with landlord partners; educates landlords and management companies on refugee resettlement, including funding and employment services available to R&I clients pre- and post-arrival; maintains an up-to-date database of landlord partners; creates outreach materials geared towards landlords and management companies.
- Negotiates with landlord partners to enhance accessibility of affordable housing to refugees (i.e. minimize brokerage fees, credit check and cosigner/guarantor requirements, and/or security deposits).
- Conducts thorough assessments of clients’ housing needs and preferences to match them with suitable housing options; develops individualized housing service plans for each client.
- Collaborates with case management staff, U.S. ties (clients’ family and friends) and volunteers as needed to understand and meet specific housing needs.
- Provides support to and/or direct housing search services to clients, U.S. ties and volunteers in their housing searches.
- Facilitates the rental application process for clients, including assisting with completing necessary paperwork and providing required documentation to landlords and management companies; facilitates and/or accompanies clients to property viewing appointments.
- Conducts pre-arrival housing inspections (virtual or in-person) to ensure housing units, furniture and household goods meet safety and sanitation standards and are prepared for clients’ move-in; collaborates with clients, staff, volunteers and U.S. ties to coordinate apartment set-ups.
- Acts as the main agency point of contact for landlord partners during the 90-day initial resettlement program period and beyond, as needed, in order to facilitate communication between landlords and clients to coordinate signing of lease, ensure timely rental payments and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
- Provides ongoing support and assistance to clients in maintaining their housing as well as addressing any issues or concerns that may arise post-housing placement.
- Maintains accurate up-to-date records of housing services and placements, lease agreements, and other housing documentation in applicable online case management systems and digital client case files.
- Coordinates with case management staff to provide individual and group housing-related Cultural Orientation instruction to clients.
Case Management Duties & Responsibilities
- Recruits clients for the program, screens for NYSESRP eligibility, conducts intake interviews, completes required BRIA Information Network (BIN) application forms and uploads eligibility documentation.
- Assists eligible clients with submitting new applications for public benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, Cash Assistance, WIC, SSI and periodic benefit recertification.
- Assists clients in obtaining referrals to linguistically and culturally competent primary care providers and specialists; communicates by phone with medical providers on clients' behalf and with their consent; helps clients with accessing medical interpretation.
- Provides clients with referrals to free ESOL programs and online ESOL tutoring.
- Completes and submits all required case management forms in the BIN database; compiles required case file documentation, including detailed case notes.
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, or similar field; or a combination of relevant experience and education required.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
- Demonstrated experience conducting outreach to community partners.
- Familiarity with NYC rental and real estate market preferred.
- Familiarity with U.S. Refugee Admission Program and refugee and/or immigrant social services preferred.
- Ability to work collaboratively and thrive as a member of a culturally diverse team.
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task several urgent projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to supervise interns and volunteers as needed.
- Fluency in one or more refugee languages (Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Burmese, Haitian Creole, French etc.) preferred.
- Lived experience as an immigrant, refugee, asylee and/or asylum-seeker highly valued.
- Excellent computer skills, including experience with Google Suite applications (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Docs, Sheets, etc.), Salesforce, and Microsoft Office.
Salary: $55,000K + Benefits
To Apply: Please send a resume and cover letter to acaudill@commonpoint.org
Source : Commonpoint Queens
