Housing Coordinator

About Us:

VOALA Helping Our Most Vulnerable Change Their Life Stories

Volunteers of America is a non-profit human services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. VOALA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans' services, homeless shelters, low-income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Learn more at

PAY RATE: $27.49 - $28.94 Per Hour

BENEFITS: VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits.

JOB SUMMARY AND PURPOSE

The Housing Coordinator is responsible for identifying suitable housing options for program participants and their families, and assisting the participants to achieve sustainable and healthy independent living. Conducts community outreach to develop resources to support homeless participants. Part of services team for the program, the Housing Coordinator provides experience-based leadership and participates in all stages of client service: assessment, services planning, engagement and delivery. Assists program case management, performs outreach and community engagement events, is able to lead these efforts as required.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless clients and their families, including referral to VOALA shelters as appropriate.
  • Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments
  • Communicates with landlords and familiarize them with the program and the unique needs of participants
• Leads community outreach for program, represents VOALA at meetings of working groups specific to housing the homeless, attends Apartment and Relator Association meetings, develops community partners.
• Develops support systems to meet individual client's housing needs; coordinates and facilitates move-in activities, rental negotiations, and service referrals as needed
• Facilitates the use of community resources to assist both tenants and landlords in the event of problems leading to potential eviction
• As a member of the program case management team, provides information referrals, crisis intervention, and assistance with permanent housing placement for participants
  • Assists case managers in conducting the comprehensive screenings and assessments to collect functional, environmental, financial, employment, housing, educational, and health information, as appropriate, to develop an Individual Service Plan
  • Coordinates follow-up services with case management team
  • Performs tasks of Case Manager or Housing Specialist as needed
• Performs outreach to area homeless, coordinating efforts of community organizations to serve the homeless
• Additional duties as assigned

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Services for this position must be provided on-site. As a result, the positions supervised by this job description are on-site, and supervisors / managers / leaders must be on site to provide proper direction and oversight.
• Identifies and locates housing options suitable for homeless program participants(Veterans).
  o Creates and maintains a housing database linking tenants to apartments
  o Communicates with landlords and familiarize them with the SSVF program.
• Develops Support system for clients to achieve and keep permantent housing, involving landlords and services available in the community.
• Coordinates efforts with Case Management team, supporting Case Management initiatives for clients served.
• Outreach to area homeless
• Outreach to local community partners, to promote programs and resolve homelessness.
• Other duties as required and is subject to change at any time.

MANDATED REPORTER

As service providers to the underprivileged and vulnerable in our community, all employees are considered Mandated Reporters, and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications
• Ability to perform under circumstances of possible emotional stress and conflicts dealing with difficult, uncooperative, and potentially aggressive clients as VOALA serves the neediest of the needy in our programs which may include clients with homelessness, mental-illness, substance abuse, recently released from incarceration and other challenges.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Services or related discipline, OR
• Equivalent combination of education and work experience (four years)
• Must timely complete required training

EXPERIENCE:

• Three years' experience working with veterans, people in recovery and / or homelessness individuals

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual (Spanish)
• HMIS (homeless database)

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This employer participates in E-Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.