Residential Aide

At Avalon, housing is a human right. Our mission is to build healthy, safe and inclusive supportive housing communities as a long-term solution to homelessness.

Avalon Housing is a non-profit supportive housing provider. Supportive housing is a combination of affordable housing paired with services, such as case management. We don't just help people find housing, we help people stay and thrive in their homes.

If you are passionate about creating more diverse, inclusive, and equitable communities where all people are welcome, Avalon may be a good fit for you.

Utilizing a "Housing First" approach, our services teams help tenants achieve housing stability and move beyond homelessness. Services staff also collaborates with community partners to ensure the coordinated delivery of a broad range of services that meet the mental, physical, psycho-social and housing needs of the individuals either through direct service or linkage to appropriate resources.

The individuals served by Avalon have many challenges, including mental illness, substance use disorders and chronic medical conditions, alongside a history of chronic homelessness. Residential Support Specialists (RSS) are Avalon's 24-hour front-line support staff. They monitor our front desk(s), answer tenant/visitor questions and provide hands‑on help where needed.

Here are some of the key benefits that Avalon staff receive:

Paid Time Off: Paid time off includes vacation time plus additional sick and personal time allowances. The amount you earn depends on the number of hours worked. There is also a paid holiday every month!

Life and Disability Plans: Employees working 16 or more hours per week receive life insurance and short-term disability coverage-Avalon covers the full cost of the premiums.

403(b) Retirement Plan Avalon sponsors a 403(b) retirement plan through Vanguard, available to all employees.

Core Job Responsibilities Include:

• Check visitors in and out, answer phones, and monitor security systems
• Maintain safety and security of residents by monitoring all general access areas and enforcing program rules
• Intervene in crises, respond to emergencies, and initiate action as required, including contact with emergency response systems
• Coordinate services for tenants and contact outside service providers as necessary
• Work cooperatively with other staff onsite in addition to visiting service providers; refer tenants to clinical and other staff as necessary
• Initiate maintenance requests
• Attend staff meetings, retreats, and professional training sessions

Supplemental Job Duties:

• Depending on location, RSS staff may assist tenants with activities of daily living, including meal preparation, prompting, medication administration, shopping, and/or other hands‑on assistance.
• This position requires a weekly on-call shift; on‑call shifts are compensated at hourly rates plus a bonus.
• This position requires training to begin within the first 30 days of hire. Some training will take place outside regular shift hours. All training time is compensated.

Required Qualifications:

• At least 18 years of age
• High School Diploma
• Satisfactory background check and clear legal standing
• Two years of experience in supportive housing or another social‑services setting OR lived experience of homelessness/supportive housing
• Avalon Housing is dedicated to eliminating racial inequities. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to work well with multicultural communities

The following MDHHS requirements must be met during the orientation period:

• Completion of relevant specialized instruction
• Demonstrated proficiency and certification in essential first aid
• Completion of training on individual plan of service (IPOS) implementation
• Completed coursework regarding infectious disease safety and prevention protocols
• Capability to execute IPOS guidelines, implement crisis procedures, and accurately document service delivery
• Participate in medication administration for clients (requires completing Medication training through Washtenaw County, maintaining certification, completing internal training, administering medication, and maintaining proper documentation)

Desired Skills and Experience:

• Basic understanding of homelessness and various characteristics of the homeless adult population.
• Experience with the issues of mental illness and chemical dependency preferred
• Ability to effectively work with diverse populations in a non‑judgmental way
• Capacity to respond to crisis situations
• Strong communication skills – both verbal and written
• Strong problem‑solving skills
• Ability to recognize appropriate boundaries with clients
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Must possess a highly positive and enthusiastic attitude and strong commitment toward helping those in need
• Interest and experience in working with individuals who are difficult to engage and refer to traditional programs, subscribe to a philosophy of tolerance and ability to engage with individuals in their current stage of change, expressed knowledge, acceptance, and/or experience with principles of harm reduction
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds ∙ Ability to work flexible hours as required by programs and staffing needs

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit for long periods of time, drive a vehicle with passengers, communicate with other persons by talking and hearing, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds, and operate computer hardware systems.

A valid Michigan driver's license and reliable transportation are required.

Job Title: Residential Support Specialist

Reports to: Residential Support Specialist Program Manager

Location: This position is based at 411 Ashley, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Status: Full-time

Salary: $19.42 hourly

Benefits 403(b), generous vacation and additional holidays, Life / AD&D / Short term disability plan, Employee Assistance & Wellness programs

Avalon Housing is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks applicants from diverse backgrounds. This includes but is not limited to people living with disabilities or mental health conditions, and with lived experience with homelessness or recovery from a substance use disorder. Avalon also encourages those with criminal histories to apply. Avalon doesn't request information about criminal histories unless and until an offer of employment is extended. Avalon may exclude someone based on criminal history if it determines the criminal history is related to or directly conflicts with the responsibilities of the position.