Housing Support Specialist

Scope of Work: The Housing Support Specialist provides supportive services to a broad spectrum of persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. The Housing Support Specialist assists clients and their households with rental and utility assistance, mortgage assistance and emergency shelter, and assists with providing other supportive services. The Housing Support Specialist Reports to the Housing Programs Manager and is a full-time non-exempt position. Duties include but are not limited to providing a range of client-centered services to support persons living with HIV/AIDS in obtaining or maintaining primary medical care and housing through:

Functional Responsibilities:

• Client-specific advocacy and/or review of utilization of services.
• Review and process all referrals requesting Short Term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility (STRMU), Emergency Financial Assistance (EFA), and Permanent Housing Placement (PHP) assistance.
• Ensure proper coordination and monitoring of services delivered based on Housing Goal Plan
• Initiate contact with Property Managers, utility companies, clients, and/or any other approved parties for additional documentation needed to process financial assistance.
• Process Emergency Shelter requests and ensures hotel invoices are received/ processed for payment.
• Complete data entry for all relevant assistance programs (STRMU/PHP/EFA/Vital Records) in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) while processing all relevant assistance referrals.
• Assist with determining the types of financial assistance clients will receive in conjunction with the SAAF Housing Programs Manager.
• Process U-Haul rental requests and ensure invoices are received/processed for payment.
• Maintain timely and accurate documentation of all contacts regarding all assistance requests by ensuring Progress Logs are entered into PE daily.
• Serve as member of Care Services Department, working in close coordination with the Care Services Case Management and Housing teams.
• Actively participate in housing and department meetings.
• Attending agency staff meetings.
• Comply with SAAF employment, Care Services and quality assurance policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in social services, or two years of work with direct client/participant experience in social service setting.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Proficiency with database systems.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Capable of problem solving and working independently.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Appropriate fingerprint clearance through the Arizona Department of Public Safety (paid for by SAAF).
Must have access to reliable transportation and valid Arizona Drivers License with a driving record that will be supported by SAAFs liability insurance provider.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues.
• Two years case management experience working with people with substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
• Knowledge of supportive housing programs and issues related to homelessness.
• Experience working with Tucson human service providers.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, sensitivity to cultural and personal diversity.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:
Operating in a professional office environment requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling, and pushing. Requires the ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. Requires travelling on occasion as needed between SAAF campuses and other locations.

Physical Requirements:

This job is a sedentary job, as defined by the Social Security Administration, CFR.
CFR 404.1567 Physical exertion requirements:

(a) Sedentary work: Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasionally lifting or carrying articles like docket files, ledgers, and small tools. Although a sedentary job is defined as one which involves sitting, a certain amount of walking and standing is often necessary in carrying out job duties. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required occasionally.

Affirmative Action: The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability. People who have used drugs, have performed sex work, people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ communities, those who have experienced housing insecurity, people who have received harm reduction services, and people living with HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis C are strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required. Management reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. Management reserves the right to change job descriptions, job duties, functions, and requirements.

Rate of Pay: Offered pay rates are required to be within the posted position pay range based off directly relevant experience.