Housing Navigator

POSITION SUMMARY

The Housing Navigator position is responsible for landlord relationship building and vacant unit locations as well as working with Coordinated Entry clients to ensure they are housing ready by obtaining all necessary documentation to move into permanent housing. The position will also serve as a general housing resource for households served by the agency’s Day Resource Center. The position will provide clients with basic support with specialization in mental health, intellectual developmental disabilities, and substance abuse. As with other positions within the agency, this position supports our philosophies of harm reduction, housing first, and client centered treatment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Knowledge, understanding, and implementation of principles of housing first, and harm reduction.
• Provide an atmosphere of customer service in assuring that clients are treated in a friendly and respectful manner
• Facilitate with clients and collaborate with community agencies to provide best services to clients.
• Focus on client empowerment evidence based or adopted best practices in providing services, seeking to assist clients to build on strengths in addressing treatment needs.
• Coordinate and provide care that is safe, timely, effective, equitable, and client-centered.
• Ability to work with a diverse population, with specific concentration in mental health, substance abuse, intellectual developmental disabilities, and physical disability.
• Ability to develop relationships with community landlords in order to quickly find clients community housing.

Landlord Responsibilities:

• Participates in community outreach and education efforts, especially housing resources, attends meetings, and presents at community events to develop and maintain positive relationships with community partners who are associated with housing resources (i.e., existing and new landlords/property managers)
• Establishes, maintains and communicates a list of available Lake County housing opportunities to community housing providers and the Day Resource Center.
• Have an understanding of low-income constraints, addressing housing barriers, interpreting initial unit lease, understanding tenant rights and responsibilities
• Understand applicable local housing codes, tenant and landlord rights,
• Market the Risk Mitigation Fund
• Connect with landlords via neighborhood outreach, internet search, and networking events.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with private landlords and other housing providers to expand PADS Lake County landlord portfolio;
• Advocate with landlords for participants with rental barriers such as prior evictions, criminal history, and poor credit
• Educate landlords about permanent supportive housing programs’ role in supporting sub-tenants, including rental assistance and supportive services.
• Create and maintain a housing resource database containing available market-rate and affordable housing buildings/programs.

Services

• Attend staffings and case review meetings as necessary
• Provide direct case management services to clients, including linking clients to community resources.
• Conduct crisis intervention/evaluation/referral to all clients.
• Facilitate educational and therapeutic groups for clients in such areas as life skills, symptom management, communication and conflict management.
• Provide and understand initial and ongoing assessment, clinical diagnosis, development and implementation of internal Service Plan according to agency policy and external assessments.
• Provide outreach services to individuals.
• Maintain regular contact with entire caseload.
• Consult with supervisor regarding client level of services needed.
• Implement Coordinated Entry per System Coordination and Entry Policies and Procedures.
• Utilize SOAR when applying clients for benefits.
• Understand the role of medication for individual client needs and educating self and clients on medication management.
• Work closely with the client’s assigned Case Manager to ensure that housing placement is consistent with overall service plan. Inform Case Manager of any changes in housing status or other housing issues with information obtained from Housing Placement Workgroup meetings.
• Participate in Housing Placement Workgroup meetings to provide updates of clients currently in the process of being housed.
• Provides excellent customer service to clients, staff, volunteers, external organizations, etc.
• Utilizes Trauma Informed Care approach to all clients who are seeking assistance
• Utilizes Motivational Interviewing techniques to engage quickly with each individual and family entering into homelessness
• Establish positive relationships with participants in assessing their housing needs. Provide participants with listings of potential housing options in alignment with participants’ housing needs and geographic preferences.
• Ensure efficient housing placement by helping participant gather and complete required documentation, facilitating communications with landlords and housing case managers, and attending appointments as needed.
• Communicate regularly with the Housing Placement Workgroup regarding issues that arise during the housing referral process.
• Provide housing resource expertise to Day Resource Center staff as needed.
• Comply with HMIS reporting and data quality standards.

GENERAL

• Assist in transportation of clients using agency/own vehicle.
• Complete ongoing assessment self-training needs, reporting findings and suggestions to Program Manager.
• Ensure accurate data quality standards in HMIS – no less than 90% accuracy for the program
• Ensure all documentation is completed timely and accurately according to agency policy.
• Assist clients in moving into and out of housing units
• Ensure adherence to professional standards as outlined by governmental bodies and organizations, including but not limited to, National Association of Social Workers, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Association, Illinois Alcohol & Addictions Certification Board, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, etc.
• Participate in staff meetings, in-service trainings, and seminars to facilitate professional growth and maintain licensure if required.
• Take responsibility for training in and documenting chart requirements to meet program and HUD/ESG standards.
• Ensure use of motivational interviewing, trauma informed care, housing first, and harm reduction methods when working with all individuals/families experiencing homelessness.
• Research best practice service models for chronically homeless and housing support.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge / Experience / Skills: Demonstrated desire and ability to work with individuals and families who are disabled and homeless, providing appropriate support, motivation, and compassion in accordance with PADS Lake County mission and philosophy of service.

• Ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience working with homeless populations or working with issues of homelessness, affordable housing, and/or housing discrimination.
• Demonstrates experience and ability to interact sensitively and respectfully with persons of different backgrounds, culture, etc.
• Demonstrates common sense and good judgment.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of Housing First and Low barrier housing principals.
• Effective personal organization and time management
• Strong communication skills
• Technology proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite; HMIS/Service Point data base
• Excellent interpersonal relation skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to identify gaps in procedures and services and develop a better plan
• Knowledge of HUD/ESG requirements/regulations; Public Housing Authority and housing subsidy programs (i.e., Section 8, Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Re-Housing)
• Knowledge of tenant and landlord rights/laws
• Willingness to work flexible hours as needed.
• Ability to handle various projects concurrently.
• Detail oriented
• Become SOAR Certified within 6 months of hire
• Valid driver’s license
• Demonstrates a passion for the PADS mission and does so in a consistent and professional manner

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree Required, Masters Degree Preferred
• LPC/LCPC or LSW/LCSW Preferred; CADC Preferred
• 3 years in a human service or related field
• 3 years working with persons experiencing mental health and/or substance use disorders
• Housing search experience preferred

Physical Demands:

• Kneel and move from sitting, bending, kneeling or standing multiple times a day
• Climb up and down up to 2 flights of stairs at a time
• Ability to lift and/or move 50 lbs.

Hours and Working Conditions

• Full time
• Scheduling flexibility may be required; including evening and weekend hours

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $23.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $23