Housing Assistant

Salary : $63,835.20 - $77,771.20 Annually
Location : San Diego
Job Type: Up to 1 year of employment, limited benefits
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 202500054
Department: Homelessness Housing Innovations
Opening Date: 07/31/2026
Closing Date: 8/14/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Description
Department: Homeless Housing Innovations

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• 9/80 Compressed Work Schedule (office closed every other Friday)
• 14 paid holidays
• 457M tax-deferred savings plan
• Social security exempt
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,000 annually
• Sharp PPO or HMO Plan, Kaiser Permanente HMO Plan,
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible spending account
• Health and wellness perks
• Rewards & Recognition program

To see full benefits package, please visit:

About SDHC:

The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) is an award-winning public housing agency in the City of San Diego that provides innovative housing assistance programs for households with low income or experiencing homelessness. The San Diego City Council, in its role as the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego, oversees SDHC. SDHC helps pay rent for more than 17,000 households with low income annually; is a leader in collaborative efforts to address homelessness, such as the Community Action Plan on Homelessness for the City of San Diego and SDHC's homelessness initiative, HOUSING FIRST - SAN DIEGO, which has created more than 11,000 housing solutions since November 2014 for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness; and creates and preserves affordable rental housing, with more than 23,000 affordable units in service in the City today with SDHC's participation.


About the Department:

The Homelessness & Housing Stability Initiatives (HHSI) Direct Services Department provides direct services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness throughout the City of San Diego using creative strategies and best practice programming. Specifically, the department operates a variety of direct service homeless programs including, but not limited to: Homelessness Prevention, Diversion, Shallow Subsidies, Rapid Rehousing and Landlord Engagement.

Specific examples include:

• Homelessness Prevention Program
• Homelessness Shelter Diversion Program
• Housing Instability Prevention Program
• Moving Home Rapid Rehousing Program
• Landlord Engagement and Assistance Program

About the Position
The Housing Assistant performs a variety of dutieswith the administration of homeless prevention and housing programsby providing technical and programmatic assistance, delivering quality customer service to clients and landlords in person or over the telephone. Responsibilities include determining eligibility for program participation, responding to questions and concerns related to the program in determining initial and continuing program eligibility, reviewing documentation and maintaining case files and records.


The Housing Assistant works directly with vulnerable households experiencing housing instability, including persons experiencing homelessness. The ideal candidate can independently perform a full range of routine to complex rental assistance duties such as caseload management, eligibility determination, recertification, leasing, occupancy, and rent increase calculations. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit. The candidate will be a highly motivated individual that can demonstrate flexibility, resourcefulness and excellent communication skills. Highly preferred experience in Microsoft Office applications.

This role performs administrative tasks related to calculations and certification of client rent portion and rental assistance amounts based on program requirements. The Housing Assistant will complete administrative tasks associated with issuing financial assistance payments for enrolled participants, including coordinating with the landlord/property management for required paperwork, setting up new landlord/property management payment agreements, updating rent portion letters, completing annual recertifications within assigned programs and advising clients and landlords on their rights and responsibilities as relates to HHI Programs, guidelines, funder regulations, Commission policies, procedures and requirements.

Examples of Essential Job Functions

• Conducts pre-screening intake interviews; evaluates pre-screening questionnaires and prepares case workups for approval; assists in maintaining "ready pools" of eligible clients for financial assistance and housing programs, including enrollments, denials and recertifications; effectively explain programs, requirements, and answer client questions.
• Conducts initial client eligibility; collects and reviews completed applicant declarations and supporting documents; enters information into system.
• Sends out written requests for third party verifications of family income, assets and employment; runs credit reports and criminal history checks; verifies immigration status; conducts additional verifications through the various third parties and other agencies as needed.
• Evaluates case files and verification data and can apply policies and procedures to determine program eligibility to meet stringent processing deadlines.
• Conducts the administration of participant program enrollment in accordance with applicable program eligibility criteria and guidelines
• Advises clients on their rights and responsibilities under Housing Commission and funding source policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Works with clients who are moving in to ensure lease up requirements are met; calculates and certifies client rental assistance and rent portion amounts based on program requirements; generates Notices of Intended Action in response to client failure to provide required information and changes in eligibility.
• Collects appropriate documentation from new landlords to be able to establish them as vendors in the Commission's payment system.
• Processes monthly rental assistance payments and troubleshoots any issues with payments.
• Processes payment collect backs or rental assistance payments to landlords in cases of client enrollment terminations or other applicable situations.
• Conducts annual recertification interviews and processes to meet stringent processing deadlines; reviews historical data in client case files; sends out and evaluates the results of third-party verifications and other checks performed to verify continued eligibility; reviews and calculates tenants' income and assets.
• Processes program extension requests to meet stringent processing deadlines; reviews historical data in client case files. Collects data, investigates any discrepancies, and makes determinations regarding changes in family size and composition and income levels.
• Generates and mails notices of rent subsidy changes to clients and landlords in accordance with deadlines; monitors status of all recertification cases to ensure processing deadlines are met to avoid lapses in payments or incorrect payments.
• Receives and evaluates notices of client income and family changes and takes action to process in accordance with processing procedures and deadlines as required by policy; generates notices to clients and lease amendments to landlords; documents all information and actions taken in client case files.
• Receives requests from participants to move and determines their eligibility to move; monitors pending moves for the required period of time; reviews completed move forms and packets for all required information before forwarding on to the next approver.
• Performs and confirms rent reasonableness; reviews rent data to verify unit comparability or documents differences; makes determinations regarding unit upgrades and amenities and allowable rental rate differences; evaluates unit and area data; makes determinations on allowable rent increases.
• Explains Commission Fair Market Rent and rent reasonableness standards and limitations to property owners and tenants.
• Makes determinations on allowed rental rates, negotiates rents with owners, and documents basis for decisions; conducts telephone quality control checks on rent comparables provided by property owners.
• Prepares, documents, and updates client case files, including all fact-finding information, telephone contacts, and actions taken; update client information in the Commission's database.
• Generate letters and correspondences, assemble information packets, and schedules clients for intakes, recertifications or other meetings as needed.
• Stays alert to indications of program violation or potential fraud; identifies possible violations and conducts initial investigations to resolve or document suspected violations; documents client case files regarding investigation results.
• Answers questions and responds to complaints from clients, landlords, and the public; explains Commission policies and procedures and available courses of action; pulls case records and conducts research regarding problems or concerns; issues Notices of Intended Action in response to client failure to provide necessary documentation or make payments; and takes follow-up corrective action as appropriate.
• Informally mediates conflicts between clients and landlords; escalates to supervisor or other work unit as necessary.
• Researches, compiles, and organizes information and data from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to assigned areas; checks and tabulates standard mathematical or statistical data; prepares and assembles various reports and other informational materials.

• Maintains accurate and detailed records, verifies accuracy of information, researches discrepancies, and records information.
• Receives, opens, time stamps, sorts, and distributes incoming and interdepartmental mail; prepares outgoing mail.
• Ensures compliance with various stringent rules, regulations, and timelines.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Basic eligibility and case management practices and procedures.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures relate to the Housing Assistance Program.
• Departmental practices and procedures and applicable Commission policies.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Principles of business letter writing and record-keeping.
• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and Commission staff.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible eligibility and case management work with accuracy, speed, and minimal supervision.
• Interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Learn and understand the organization and operation of the Commission and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Research, analyze, and summarize data and prepare accurate and logical written reports.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Make accurate mathematical and statistical computations.
• Organize, maintain, and update databases and records systems.
• Operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and word-processing, database, spreadsheet, and other software applications programs.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade, and two (2) years of responsible experience in performing eligibility determination and case management or related experience involving research, analysis, interpretation, and application of policies, regulations, financial reports, contracts, application review, and referral duties similar to those required by the Commission.

Supplemental Information
Physical Demands:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.

Environmental Elements:

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.
Click below to see SDHC Employee Benefits
01


If currently employed, why are you seeking new career opportunities?
02


What is your preferred salary?
03


Do you have a High School diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

04


Which of the following describes your highest level of Microsoft office (Microsoft word, Excel, Powerpoint) proficiency?

• I do not have enough skills to meet the definition of Basic level below.
• Basic
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Required Question