Homeless Outreach Worker VHBE

JOB LOCATION 15151 E Alameda Pkwy Aurora, Colorado 80012-1555

Cit y of Aurora , Colorado

It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity , Respect, Professionalism , and Customer Service , and we welcome all who share these values to apply.


Why Work for Aurora?

• Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
• Diverse community
• Competitive total compensation package
• Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
• Light rail station minutes away
• On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
• Access to innovation workspaces

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Salary to be commensurate with experience

The salary range is $25.17 - $31.47 per hour.

The deadline to submit applications is October 22nd, 2026. Please note, The City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine to have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice.

This is classified as VHBE (Variable Hour Benefit Eligible), where the selected candidate can work up to 40 hours per week . The selected candidate will be eligible to elect Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, accrue paid time off, and receive 11 paid holidays.

This is a Term-Limited position with an anticipated end-date of March 31st, 2027.

Located in the Housing and Community Services Departments, under the supervision of the Homeless Outreach supervisor, the Homeless Outreach Worker will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with unhoused neighbors, act as a liaison for individuals and families, and connect them to services, with the ultimate goal being housing.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Create and maintain rapport and trust with unhoused individuals to address immediate needs.
• Housing focused case management
• Engage individuals and assess needs (e.g., medical, mental health, substance use, shelter, food access, benefits, and other issues) to properly direct them towards services.
• Coordinate and work with different community partners to ensure people are linked to services that assist their needs with the goal of stabilization.
• Participate in weekly meetings.
• Reach out to encampments prior to and during abatements and offer resources support, and transportation to shelters.
• Initiate and support processes that reduce harm to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and advocate for people living outdoors while encouraging them to access shelter and services.
• Meet people where they are at through a trauma informed lens.
• Support with the abatement process. Discuss abatements and prepare resources to bring to the abatements. During the abatement process, you will provide outreach, transportation, resources, and basic imminent needs. Coordinate closely with abatement team.
• Accurately and timely enter data in HMIS and other data entry systems.
• Conduct coordinated entry assessments and updates.
• Collaborate and create relationships with mental health and substance use providers to provide referrals.
• Supply basic needs (socks, food, hygiene kits, weather appropriate gear, etc.)
• Use City provided vehicles to visit clients in an appropriate and professional manner, including wellness checks; May occasionally require use of personal vehicle
• Partner with police and fire personnel on issues related to homelessness.
• Develop individualized housing case plans in collaboration with clients.
• Monitor clients' progress towards their goals, offering guidance, encouragement, and resources as needed.
• Respond promptly to clients in crisis, offering immediate support and intervention to address urgent needs.
• Develop and implement safety plans for clients at risk of harm, ensuring their immediate and long-term safety.
• Utilize motivational interviewing and other evidence-based practices to help clients set and achieve realistic goals.
• Significant role in reducing public safety risks associated with homelessness, including minimizing utilization of emergency services and public disturbances.
• Actively seek and secure housing and shelter placements for clients, including emergency, transitional, and permanent housing options.
• Housing Navigation: Coordinate with other facilities, agencies, and property management companies to ensure smooth transitions into housing.
• Negotiate rental agreements and deposits to make housing accessible for clients.
• Intervene in situations where clients are experiencing suicidal ideation, employing de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention skills to talk them down and connect them with necessary mental health resources
• Manage a caseload of 70+ individuals, prioritizing cases based on the Metro Denver Continuum of Cares’ definition of vulnerability.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Education:

• High School or GED equivalent
• Experience:
• 2-3 years experience previous outreach experience
• Previous professional work with unhoused or vulnerable populations
• Experience working in fields that include a mental health or substance use focus

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• Valid Colorado driver’s license with a clean driving record
• Enrollment in HMIS within the first two (2) weeks of employment
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred
• Lived experience preferred but not required
• Associates degree in social/behavioral sciences or a related field preferred, not required

Knowledge:

• Basic knowledge of homeless services in Aurora
• Trauma Informed Care

Skills:

• Mental Health First Aid
• Microsoft Word, Excel, MS Teams
• CPR and Narcan administration
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Communicate with diverse populations.
• De-escalation or crisis intervention

Abilities:

• Work in a high stress environment with little on-hand supervision
• Awareness of your surroundings and knowing when to walk away from a potentially unsafe situation.
• Conduct face to face conflict resolution.
• Create and maintain strong boundaries with employees and unhoused residents.
• Ability to handle the emotional and physical demands of the job, including exposure to high-stress situations and potential physical danger.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, partnering agencies, and unhoused neighbors.
• Handle sensitive and pertinent information. Experience in case management, social services, or homeless outreach.
• Skilled in oral and written communication

WORKING CONDITIONS

Essential Personnel:

• When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the City, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel.

Physical Demands:

• Medium physical work that involves moving no more than 50 pounds with or without assistance at a time with or without assistance
• Prolonged periods of walking, standing, kneeling, and sitting depending on environment
• Frequent speech communication and hearing to maintain communications with employees, partnering organizations, the business community and neighborhood groups
• Jumping fences, crawling under low bridges
• Walking through difficult terrain and swamps
• Encountering animals such prairie dogs, geese, rats, mice and often aggressive or protective dogs
• Navigating hazardous (and biohazardous) environments including but not limited to human waste, drug paraphernalia such as needles along with broken glass, barbed wire, weapons, and unknown materials.
• Frequent hiking to obscure locations through thorns, thistles and poisonous plants on contact.
• Entering underground water and sewage tunnels
• Walking up and down steep embankments.
• Entering unknown and unpredictable circumstances

Work Environment:

• Primarily field work with equal amount of office work
• May walk and drive in slick/muddy/snowy conditions,
• This position has direct contact with people experiencing homelessness.
• This role is frequently outside and will encounter inclement weather, including heat, cold, snow, and rain.
• Will work in a dusty, hazardous and/or noisy environment

Equipment Used:

• Standard office equipment that includes an assigned laptop, iPad, scanners, printers, etc.
• Assigned City vehicle.
• Occasional use of personal vehicle
• Narcan and other harm reductive equipment

The city of Aurora will implement furlough days (unpaid days off) for most employees in 2026. The scheduled furlough dates are January 16, April 10, July 2, and December 24.

For Veterans preference: Please show all of your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application.


The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer. We are required by state and federal agencies to keep certain statistical records on applicants. It will not be used in any way to discriminate against you because of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability or military status, gender identity, unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification as defined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission.


Despite the changes in Colorado law, the City of Aurora maintains a drug-free workplace. A positive test of marijuana is grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for employment with the city for one year or termination once hired.

Drug Testing, Thorough Criminal Background Check, and Employment References:
As a condition of employment, all applicants selected for employment with the City of Aurora must undergo a thorough criminal background check.

Applicants selected for safety-sensitive positions are required to complete and pass a drug screening as a condition of employment. Safety sensitive positions include Civil Service positions within Police and Fire Departments and positions where their job responsibilities have direct and substantial responsibility that would impact the health and safety of others.

Employment references will be conducted on finalists for City of Aurora vacancies.