What are the responsibilities and job description for the Housing Counselor II position at Inlivian?
Position Summary
The Housing Counselor II is responsible for creating curriculum and delivering homebuyer and financial education workshops, housing counseling (includes pre-purchase, post-purchase, rental, and default foreclosure) and credit counseling services; other administrative duties as assigned.
Essential Job Functions
Providing homeownership and rental education and counseling to prospective first-time homebuyers and renters. Additionally, the Housing Counselor will assist homeowners and renters who are in distress. The Housing Counselor II will focus on assisting the client in building financial capacity through credit counseling, pre-purchase, post-purchase, delinquency, foreclosure prevention, and rental counseling.
Conduct financial analysis and affordability assessment.
Creates action plan that supports and builds client’s financial capacity.
Maintains detailed, up-to-date, and accurate client files utilizing required data management software.
Perform homebuyer client intake, counseling, and follow-up on spending plan, credit, savings, and loss mitigation/foreclosure process and options.
Analyze tri-merge credit reports.
Establish and meet program goals within established timelines.
Implement and provide homebuyer education programs, credit counseling, rental counseling and HUD housing rules and regulations.
Compile data and prepare various monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
Negotiate solutions with mortgage lenders, loan servicers, and real estate agents.
Participate in local area community outreach (i.e., presentations, fairs, etc.)
Develop referral sources by cultivating relationships with lenders, realtors, human service organizations, and local government.
Coordinate and conduct monthly homebuyer education and financial education workshops.
Maintain a Housing Counseling Caseload for pre/post purchase and rental program participants.
Perform other job duties as assigned
Work with the Homeownership Coordinator to create homeownership and rental education workshops. Develop individualized action plans for Destination Homeownership and Opportunity Housing program participates. Provide homeownership education and counseling to the INLIVIAN portfolio and the Housing Choice Voucher holders.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of home purchase, mortgage lending, and residential real estate services
Knowledge of default foreclosure process
Knowledge of improving credit scores for home purchase or fair market rental
Knowledge of rental counseling, tenant rights and responsibilities
Knowledge of Down Payment Assistance programs
Knowledge of mortgage loan trends and local real estate market
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
Ability to interact in a professional manner with potential homebuyers, community partners, and homebuyer education professionals.
Ability to work with clients and the public tactfully, courteously, and effectively
Ability to establish effective and harmonious working relationships
Ability to evaluate programs and agencies providing services to INLIVIAN’s Destination Homeownership program
Bachelor’s degree in business, human services, real estate, or related field and at least two years of experience as a Housing Counselor with pre and post purchase homeownership education and counseling work experience. Housing Counselor Certification required.
Supervision Controls
The employee receives instructions from the Homeownership Coordinator. Courses of action, deadlines, and priorities are established by procedure, the supervisor, or the employee, depending on the assignment. Routine duties are initiated and completed by the employee without supervisory direction. Instructions to the employee may be general or specific in nature. Problems or situations not covered by instructions are usually referred to the supervisor for resolution. The employee's work is closely reviewed on a regular basis for accuracy, completion, and compliance with policies and procedures and the attainment of objectives. The employee has no supervisory responsibilities.
Guidelines
The employee follows regulations and guidelines issued by HUD for the assigned resident services program(s) and applicable INLIVIAN policies and procedures. Frequently the employee acts independently in making decisions about the best course of action. For situations for which there are no guidelines, the employee may adapt existing guidelines, develop new guidelines, make a decision based on the circumstances, or seek guidance from the supervisor. When new guidelines are required, the employee develops them in consultation with the supervisor.
Complexity
Work performed by the employee ranges from the relatively routine. The employee must identify the work that needs to be done, determine how to accomplish it and prioritize a variety of task or assignments. Originality, imagination, and broad general knowledge are required to successfully achieve Housing INLIVIAN objectives. Difficulty may be experienced in receiving information from program participants and agencies in a timely manner in order to meet deadlines and determine the most effective course of action for individuals.
Scope and Effect
The employee's work affects other employees and participants in the assigned resident services program(s), as well as various departments of city and county government and numerous business firms, organizations, institutions, and agencies in the community. In helping participants move toward self-sufficiency, the employee adheres to the spirit and contributes to the overall success of the INLIVIAN’s program(s) by assisting residents by reducing participant’s needs for subsidized programs and services, which results in a greater sense of self-reliance and improved self-esteem for the participant.
Personal Contacts
The employee's contacts are primarily with program participants, potential participants, and co-workers. Additional contacts include federal, state, and local governmental officials and representatives, the general public, and other agencies that provide assistance to the assigned resident services program(s) or partner with the INLIVIAN to assist the participant in achieving self-sufficiency. The purpose of such contacts is to assist in the program(s) process and bring community services to participants, foster pride and participation, and provide various kinds of support and assistance for individual families.
Difficulty may arise when program participants cannot be reached by telephone, when they are reluctant to respond, or when previously contacted city officials no longer hold the same position. At times meeting space may be limited or unavailable when needed.
