Housing Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

Salary: $26-28 per hour

Summary/Objective

Engage with people who are requesting information through the agency for housing counseling, referrals, and financial assistance. The Housing Counselor will engage with individuals and families to provide requested information and counseling. Provide information and guidance regarding significant financial transactions with high risk clients. The Housing Counselor provides Reverse Mortgage counseling to clients who are required to receive unbiased information regarding the benefits and risks of a reverse mortgage while working with an outside lender. They also provide Foreclosure Counseling to clients who are delinquent in mortgage payments and at risk of losing their housing regarding the process of loss mitigation and reviewing financial information to make a determination of financial feasibility moving forward. This position will also administer funding for move-in or housing retention costs.

Portuguese speaking applicants encouraged to apply. Language wage differential available

Essential Functions

• Conduct Reverse Mortgage Counseling as needed including:
  • Responding to clients within 24 hours of referral to schedule or refer to another agency
  • Preparation and mailing of required pre-counseling materials
  • Completing counseling session, reviewing financial information, and providing education on reverse mortgage options, including risks and benefits
  • Follow up with clients per HUD counseling requirements and per client request
  • Travel to client homes when they are housebound
• Conduct Foreclosure Counseling as needed including:
  • Responding to clients within 24 hours of referral
  • Send pre-counseling intake information packet for completion by client
  • Completing counseling session, review financial information for determination of ability to pay forward, explain loss mitigation options, refer to community resources as applicable
  • Schedule additional appointments as necessary
  • Maintain contact with client throughout process and providing continuing contact until resolution has been achieved or client withdraws from counseling
  • If it is determined that client is unable to maintain housing, refer to Housing Search Specialist for housing search, if desired, refer to Realtors, attorneys, etc., as applicable/if desired
• Administer financial assistance programs to eligible households
  • Meet with head of household to review eligibility
  • Liaison with landlord, if required
  • Complete required paperwork.
• Establish and maintain relationships with lenders, local public funders, prevention programs, and landlords to assist clients who have identified need areas.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of local area resources and programs to understand systems available to assist individuals and families including resources for domestic violence, evictions, housing search, rental assistance, and legal services.
• Provide information and referral, including both internal and external resources.
• Document and maintain up-to-date information on services provided to participants in Counselor Max, HCEC, FHA Connection, HAPPY, any other necessary electronic program, and per grant guidelines as necessary, and hard copy case records within 24 hours.
• Maintain certifications to provide housing counseling services, including seeking and scheduling necessary trainings and exams to maintain said certifications.

Additional Duties

• Attend all meetings, trainings, and workshops as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications, Education, and Experience

• Fluent Portuguese Speaking/Writing
• Associates degree in human services, Psychology, Sociology, or related field.
• Computer literacy including Word and Excel
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Achieve HUD HECM Counselor Certification within 6 months of hire.
• Achieve HUD Housing Counselor Certification within 6 months of hire.
• Mathematical capability for calculating budgets, debt to income ratios, etc.
• Experience managing similar population
• Experience working as part of a didactic team to address various client needs
• Experience providing case management and/or referral in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications, Education, and Experience

• BA in Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, or related field.
• Experience dealing with emotionally distressed individuals
• Friendly, compassionate, patient demeanor
• Detail oriented
• Ability to prioritize/triage workload
• Problem solving skills

Physical and Mental Job Requirements

• Exposure to:
  • Fumes/airborne particles
  • Allergens
• Use of and/or subject to:
  • Ladder/step stool - rarely
  • Vehicle
  • Light equipment/office
  • Computers/monitors/copiers/printers
  • Confined spaces small office space with multiple clients
• Physical requirements:
  • Frequent lifting/carrying up to 30lbs
  • occasional motor control
  • frequent pushing up to 30lbs
  • frequent pulling up to 30lbs
  • frequent bending
  • frequent squatting
  • occasional kneeling
  • frequent reaching
  • frequent standing
  • frequent sitting
  • frequent walking
  • constant fine motor control
  • constant repetitive motion
  • constant finger dexterity
  • constant grasping/holding
  • constant handwriting and typing
  • constant visual perception
  • constant visual inspection
  • constant hand/eye coordination
  • frequent color distinction
  • constant hearing
  • constant speaking
• Mental requirements:
  • Understand and apply routine verbal and/or written instructions
  • Understand and apply non-routine verbal and/or written instructions
  • Understand complex problems and collaborate to explore alternative solutions
  • Organize actions to complete sequential and/or routine tasks
  • Organize and prioritize individual work schedule to manage multiple tasks and/or projects
  • Make decisions that have an impact on the individuals work
  • Make decisions that have an impact on the immediate work units operations and/or services
  • Make decisions that have an impact on the health and wellbeing of clients
  • Communicate and exchange routine/basic information
  • Communicate and explain a variety of information
  • Communicate in-depth information for the purpose of interpreting, and/or negotiating
  • Memorization/concentration
  • Learning/knowledge retention
  • Preparing/analyzing numerical figures
  • Analyzing/examining/testing data
  • Emotional/behavioral self-regulation
  • Interacting with others

Work Environment

• The functions of this role are usually conducted in an office environment. Occasionally in a home environment for housebound individuals.

Hours of Work

• This role is paid on an hourly basis.
• The hours of work for this position are: 70 hours per two-week pay period as counseling schedule dictates/necessitates.
• Ability to work until 6pm Monday-Thursday and day Saturday is required for this position.

AAP/EEO Statement

The Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) is committed to a firm policy in favor of equal employment opportunity and will abide by all applicable state and federal regulations by not discriminating against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability or veteran status. Our commitment to equal employment opportunities shall include employment, upgrading, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves or other absences from work, layoff, compensation and benefits, selection for training or other education, professional opportunities and conflict resolution.

It is also the policy of HAC to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of their status as woman, minority or individuals with disabilities or protected veterans, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements.

Please inform us of any necessary accommodations required during theapplication process and/or at any time duringemployment.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.