Housing Specialist

Housing Specialist (Homeless System for Adults)

Full-Time (32 hours/week), generally Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm with occasional evening and weekend availability required

$23.19-$27.53/hr., depending on experience

This position offers a hybrid work benefit – when not at home, you'll primarily work at our main Gateway office in East Portland and various shelter sites in East Multnomah County

We have a generous benefits package – see below for details

Position Overview

As a Housing Specialist, you'll partner with individuals experiencing homelessness to help them find, secure, and maintain safe, stable housing. Using a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach, you'll support participants as they navigate barriers, build on their strengths, and work toward long-term housing stability and self-sufficiency.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building relationships, advocating for others, and solving complex problems. You'll work one-on-one with participants throughout their housing journey while collaborating with landlords, Home Forward, community partners, and internal teams to expand housing opportunities and coordinate supportive services.

If you're passionate about helping people achieve housing stability through collaboration, advocacy, and creative problem-solving, we'd love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Partner with individuals experiencing homelessness to assess housing needs, identify strengths and barriers, and develop individualized housing plans.
• Support participants throughout the housing process by assisting with housing searches, applications, housing inspections, Housing Voucher requirements, reasonable accommodation requests, and move-in coordination.
• Provide ongoing case management, resource navigation, crisis intervention, budgeting support, and housing stabilization services to help participants maintain permanent housing.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with landlords, property managers, Home Forward, behavioral health providers, and other community partners to expand housing opportunities and resolve tenancy concerns.
• Advocate for participants by connecting them with housing, behavioral health, legal, financial, and other community resources that promote long-term stability.
• Stay current on local housing markets, landlord-tenant laws, Fair Housing requirements, and community resources to provide accurate guidance and effective participant support.
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation and data in accordance with agency procedures, funding requirements, and program standards.
• Collaborate with Community Programs Managers, Shelter Managers, and other team members to coordinate services, support wraparound care, participate in participant triage, and contribute to program success.
• Represent Our Just Future professionally while fostering respectful, culturally responsive relationships with participants, coworkers, landlords, and community partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in social service/social sciences field with at least six (6) months case management and/or housing assistance experience; or any combination of education and work experience in social services and/or poverty/homelessness issues or related topics totaling one year.
• At least one year experience developing and/or implementing individualized service plans.
• Experience providing housing navigation, case management, or direct services to individuals or families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
• Experience helping participants overcome barriers, connect to resources, and achieve housing or self-sufficiency goals.
• Knowledge of Trauma-Informed Care, Assertive Engagement, motivational interviewing, or other participant-centered service approaches.
• Knowledge of landlord-tenant law, Fair Housing principles, housing resources, and community services, or the ability to quickly learn them.
• Strong relationship-building, advocacy, and communication skills with participants, landlords, community partners, and coworkers.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, solve problems creatively, and work independently while contributing to a collaborative team.
• General computer, word processing and spreadsheet skills.
• Experience with HMIS or other case management databases is preferred.
• Bi-lingual fluency preferred but not required.

Benefits

• Free (employer-paid premiums) for employee health insurance (medical, dental, vision) with our base HMO plan and deductible reimbursement starting the first of the month 30 days after your start date.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• Free (employer-paid premiums) for short-term and long-term disability insurance, and basic life insurance.
• Opportunity to contribute to a 401k retirement plan with a 2% employer match after three months of employment.
• Generous paid time off (PTO), 13 paid holidays, and a floating birthday holiday.
• A six-week paid sabbatical after every seven years of consecutive employment with Our Just Future.
• Access to an employee assistance program.

Our Just Future (OJF) counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity today and for future generations.

We partner with people and communities impacted by poverty so they can achieve long-term housing and economic security. We invest in affordable housing and community assets that contribute to strong, inclusive neighborhoods. We advocate with our community for policies and investments that expand housing and economic opportunity, eliminate wealth inequality and end poverty.

East Portland/East Multnomah County, Oregon is our home and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.

Our Just Future envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share the security, hopes, and advantages of a thriving, supportive community.

Our Just Future operates as a nimble, financially strong organization driven by our passion, strategic goals, and guiding principles.

Diversity, inclusion and equity are fundamental values for Our Just Future's, both internally and externally.

Our Just Future is working to end homelessness and poverty in our community because every one of us deserves a safe place to call home.