SOAR Housing Specialist (Housing Services)

Job Description

Job Description

Department: Housing Services 

Reports To: Housing Program Manager 

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt 

Supervisor: No 

Job Status: Essential Onsite at 421 Fallsway Main Clinic

Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm

Overview  

The SOAR Housing Specialist provides housing-related support and advocacy to individuals and families impacted by homelessness. The Specialist coordinates housing stability activities, provides referrals to needed community resources, develops housing plans, and delivers tenancy-based education that promotes housing retention. The Specialist also assists with grant monitoring and completes reports for the SOAR Housing First program. 

Key Role Responsibilities  

• Complete intake assessments for new clients referred to the SOAR Housing First program.  Ensure that all referral documentation is collected, reviewed, and validated to substantiate program enrollment.  
• Support clients in finding and securing safe, affordable housing and help families access resources for housing-related assistance (i.e. furniture procurement, utility assistance, etc.).
• Maintain a caseload to provide support identifying community resources.  Partner with clients to create housing plans and assist with community referrals and linkage as indicated.  
• Support the housing process by conducting pre-inspections for new unit move-ins and housing relocations.  Serves as liaison with housing inspector, helping to coordinate new, annual and other housing inspections to ensure compliance with program standards.

• Advocate with landlord and property managers regarding tenancy and negotiate move-in costs.  
• With direction from the Housing Program Manager, complete regularly scheduled grant reporting.  Ensure that services are accurately recorded and captured in data reports and the electronic health record.  
• Complete monthly budgets for clients enrolled in the agency’s representative payee program.
• Conduct social groups that promote community building, housing attainment, and housing retention.  
• Perform regularly scheduled chart audits to ensure that documentation meets standards set by grant funders.  Obtain verification documents annually to support the housing recertification process.  

Knowledge, Experience and Skills  

Formal Education and Training 

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Personal vehicle with current automobile insurance and valid Maryland driver’s license required

Experience  

• Two years of experience in connecting individuals to essential services including healthcare, mental health, and addiction services
• One year of experience completing intake assessments and developing treatment plans
• Experience working in a health care setting preferred

Skills 

• Knowledge of Baltimore City community resources for addiction, social services and mental health
• Willingness to adopt Harm Reduction and Housing First principles and apply them to work with clients
• Approaches change with a positive, open-minded attitude
• Demonstrates personal integrity and has well-developed interpersonal skills necessary to engage clients and promote positive relationships with other community agencies and providers
• Displays strong attention to detail and notices discrepancies easily
• Able to be flexible and work as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Able to take initiative and problem solve
• Able to work with ill, disabled, emotionally upset, and sometimes hostile clients

Key Agency Responsibilities  

In addition to role responsibilities, every staff member has the following responsibilities as a part of their employment: