COMMUNITY ASSISTANT

Community Assistant

The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is the largest organization in the United States dedicated to preventing and addressing homelessness. In partnership with other City agencies and nonprofit organizations, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it begins, reduce street homelessness, provide temporary shelter, and connect individuals and families to stable housing all with a focus on accountability, empathy, and equity. DHS is committed to continuous improvement and employs innovative strategies to deliver high-quality services that support a swift transition from shelter to self-sufficiency. The agency manages hundreds of facilities and operates with a large team as well as a several billion-dollar budget to meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. The Division of Shelter Intake is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the agency's Single Adult, Adult Families and Families with Children's intake and assessment sites, both directly run and contracted providers. This Division is responsible for ensuring that the City's most vulnerable population can access shelter, per eligibility criteria, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is recruiting for one (1) Community Assistant who will:

• Perform general housekeeping duties to maintain agency and regulatory standards for health and sanitation and will perform other routine tasks as it relates to the provision of client services.
• Maintain will clean restrooms, dorms, laundry rooms, common areas, outside perimeters, office space and other work areas, including the kitchen and cafeteria; remove and dispose litter and garbage; distribute and replenish toiletries and distribute and exchange linen.
• Load and unload deliveries, stock supplies, maintain inventory records; transport household supplies, equipment, and client lockers, distribute client mail, remove, and store client belongings, organize the serving areas, and participate in food service; provide client escort service
• Assist in monitoring client program activities, monitor client crowd control, and perform other job-related duties as required.

Hours/Schedule: Friday through Tuesday, 4pm to 12am. (RDOs Wednesday and Thursday).

Minimum Qualifications:

• There are no formal education or experience requirements for this position. However, the ability to understand and carry out simple instructions is required.
• Candidates must be able to understand and be understood in English.

Preferred Skills:

• Excellent writing.
• Communication.
• Computer skills.
• Proficiency with CARES.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness:

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at

Residency Requirement:

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.