Homeless Outreach Specialist

Homeless Outreach Specialist

Make a Direct Impact in Your Community! Are you passionate about helping individuals experiencing homelessness? Join the City as a Homeless Outreach Specialist and help connect individuals to housing, resources, and essential services while making a meaningful impact in the community.

About the City: As a future member of our team, you'll be joining a city with deep roots, cultural diversity, and exciting momentum. Located in the heart of Southern California's Inland Empire, San Bernardino is the county seat and largest city in San Bernardino County, home to more than 222,000 residents. Its rich history — shaped by Native American, Mexican, and Spanish influences — continues to inspire the city's evolving identity. San Bernardino offers access to major transit corridors, natural beauty, and a wide range of housing and lifestyle options. It's a place where public service careers are supported by a strong sense of community and purpose — and where motivated professionals can grow, contribute, and be part of something meaningful.

About the Position: The Homeless Outreach Specialist is a role dedicated to engaging and supporting individuals experiencing homelessness within our community. Working under general supervision, this position focuses on street outreach, housing linkage, and case management services to connect individuals with vital resources that promote stability and self-sufficiency.

This role requires a balance of fieldwork and collaboration, including canvassing areas to locate unsheltered individuals, building trust and rapport, assessing immediate needs, and connecting clients to housing, healthcare, and social service programs. The Homeless Outreach Specialist also works closely with community organizations, service providers, and government agencies to ensure individuals receive coordinated and compassionate care.

This is a meaningful opportunity for someone who is passionate about public service and eager to make a direct impact on the lives of vulnerable community members.

The Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate for this position is compassionate, resourceful, and adaptable. They have experience working directly with vulnerable populations, understand the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, and are skilled at building trust in a respectful and professional manner. The ideal candidate is comfortable working in the field, can navigate difficult conversations with empathy, and collaborates effectively with community partners to connect clients with housing, healthcare, and support services. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain accurate records are also key to success in this role.

A Day in the Life: A typical day as a Homeless Outreach Specialist may include:

• Visiting local parks, neighborhoods, or encampments to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Conducting assessments to identify immediate needs such as shelter, food, or medical care.
• Transporting a client to an appointment with a housing provider or social service agency.
• Meeting with service partners to coordinate care and share resources.
• Assisting clients with completing paperwork for housing programs or benefits.
• Entering case notes and service data into the County's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
• Participating in team meetings, community workshops, or collaborative outreach events.

Each day can be different, but the work consistently focuses on connecting individuals to resources, fostering stability, and supporting the City's efforts to reduce homelessness.

What You Need to Qualify:

Education and Experience: Possession of an Associate Degree with major coursework in public relations, communications, or a closely related field; AND one (1) year of responsible experience in community outreach, community engagement, community relations, organizational communications or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. A bachelor's degree is highly desirable. Licenses, Certifications, and Equipment: A valid California Class C driver's license is required Knowledge of:

• Local, federal, and state housing programs and requirements.
• Health, safety, licenses, laws, and compliance mandates for insurance and liability coverage.
• Research methods and statistical techniques and applications.
• Practices in the field of homelessness and community outreach and engagement.
• Fair Housing and Affirmative Marketing.
• Microsoft Excel
• Customer service and etiquette.

Skill in:

• Reviewing, monitoring, inspecting, and reporting in accordance with appropriate local, state, and federal guidelines and laws.
• Collecting, evaluating, and interpreting appropriate and applicable data.
• Providing specialized housing, outreach, and engagement information.
• Preparing clear, concise, and comprehensive correspondence, reports, studies, and other written materials.
• Understanding, interpreting, and responding to internal and external customer needs.
• Presenting conclusions and recommendations clearly, logically, and persuasively to both internal and external audiences.
• Organizing, setting priorities, and making sound independent judgment in complex, difficult inspection work within areas of responsibility.
• Exercising tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive and complex issues and situations.
• Communicating clearly and concisely
• Establishing and maintaining effective relationships.
• Providing customer service.

Recruitment Timeline

This recruitment will close on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 11:59pm, or until a sufficient number of applications have been received.

Applications review: Week of Monday, September 14, 2026

1st Interview: Week of September 21, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

2nd Interview: Week of September 28, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

**All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the personnel officer**

How to Apply and What to Expect Next

All applicants are required to submit an online application through the City's official website at This recruitment will remain open until Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM or until a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Applications must be fully completed and clearly demonstrate that the minimum qualifications for the position are met. All information provided is subject to review, investigation, and verification. While resumes may be uploaded as supplemental documentation, they will not be accepted in place of a fully completed City application.

Following the initial screening, the most qualified candidates whose backgrounds best match the needs of the City will be invited to continue in the selection process. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee advancement. Candidates will remain under consideration until a final selection is made and an offer is accepted. The City of San Bernardino reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time and may determine that none of the applicants, including those who meet the minimum qualifications, are suitable for the position.

Successful candidates shall be required to:

• Pass a reference and background verification. References will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.
• Degree verification
• Pass a pre-employment medical exam, which includes a Drug screen.
• Starting salary based on education and/or experience and internal equity.

E-Verify Participation

The City of San Bernardino participates in the E-Verify program. In compliance with federal law, all employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of individuals hired to work in the United States.

Accordingly, the City will provide information from each new employee's Form I-9 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm authorization to work in the United States.

For more information about E-Verify, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at

Disclaimers

The City of San Bernardino is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The City follows a nepotism policy, which may impact hiring decisions if an applicant has relatives currently employed by the City.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department directly at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

This bulletin is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract, expressed or implied. Its contents may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice.

For questions regarding this recruitment, contact Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io