Housing Access Specialist

Job Title: Housing Access Specialist

Department: Mission Impact

Reports To: Housing Director

FLSA Status: Exempt/Salary

JOB SUMMARY: Coburn Place is Indiana’s largest provider of transitional housing and services for survivors of interpersonal abuse. The Housing Access Specialist position is a solution-focused professional that provides broad support to advocates and survivors experiencing domestic violence and homelessness. They bridge the gap between the initial intake process and the on-going housing advocacy efforts, acting as a housing subject matter expert who maintains thorough understanding of the CoC housing processes and additional supportive housing options available in Indianapolis. The Housing Access Specialist will work closely with Advocate teams and supportive service organizations throughout the Marion and surrounding counties. The Housing Access Specialist will provide generalized housing support to all households through a DV Housing First, Trauma Informed Care Approach, and Strength-Based Model.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

Using a multi-disciplinary skill set, the Housing Access Specialist must be able to exercise the following essential job functions:

• The Housing Access Specialist must be able to fulfill their duties in accordance with the service orientation of a Housing First approach when locating appropriate housing;
• Maintain thorough understanding of the CoC housing processes and additional supportive housing options available in Indianapolis in order to assess and offer needed housing services to survivors
• Maintaining documentation for providing housing services to survivors, ensuring all forms and documents hit specified compliance goals;
• Advocate for service access amongst mainstream services alongside the advocate by completing housing needs assessments;
• Provide survivor support in reducing housing instability by creating person-centered case plans that align with survivor goals in regards to housing stability;
• Engage in motivational interviewing and active listening;
• Use a range of engagement and change motivation techniques with persons that may miss appointments or withdraw during engagement;
• Interact effectively and professionally on tenancy matters with the landlords of the participants, brokering affordable housing and providing education on Domestic Violence housing needs to landlords.
• Parter with advocate regarding re-house participants if they are required to move, are being house with moving-on vouchers, or require a program extension while maintaining services and supports during the interim period;
• Collaborates with advocates in regards to the planning, implementation and facilitations of support groups, workshops, or educational session for survivors for survivors;
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty according to the requirements of Coburn Place. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Ability to display behaviors that exemplify values that are congruent with the mission and philosophy of Coburn Place.
• Ability to put the mission, vision, and values of Coburn Place into day-to-day practice.
• Ability to engage and develop trusting relationships with clients, maintain confidentiality of survivor information at all times.
• Ability to provide education to the public on issues of domestic violence, housing, and homelessness
• Flexibility in work approach, meeting survivors where they are at and when needed resulting in occasional weekend and evening hours
• Organized and able to multi-task and prioritize
• Proactive in anticipating and identifying solutions to problems with projects and processes
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in related field such as social work, domestic violence, housing, and or service coordination
• Bilingual ability in Spanish preferred, but not required.
• Skilled in best practices of working with people experiencing domestic violence and homelessness including: Housing First, Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Indianapolis Continuum of Care (CoC)
• A valid Indiana driver’s license and a satisfactory MVR is required for this position
• A clear DCS history, and clear criminal and sex offender background checks is required.