Part-time Housing Specialist LRI Sonoma County - HomeFirst Services of Santa Clara County : Job Details

Job DetailsLevel Experienced Job Location Petaluma Office - Petaluma, CA Position Type Part-Time Education Level High School Salary Range $27.26 - $27.26 Hourly Travel Percentage Up to 25% Job Shift Day Job Category Nonprofit - Social Services DescriptionPOSITION: Housing Specialist - LRI Sonoma County PROGRAM/LOCATION: 1304 Southpoint Blvd, Petaluma CA 94954 HOURS: 20 hours Weekly SUPERVISOR: Program Manager - Housing Services JOB TYPE: Part Time, Non-Exempt COMPENSATION: $27.26 Hourly ABOUT HOMEFIRST Established in 1980, HomeFirst™ is a nonprofit organization passionately working to end homelessness. We serve the Bay Area community through low-barrier programming and systems leadership - meeting each person where they are by offering support and resources that address immediate and long-term housing needs. With nearly 45 years of experience, we view housing as a fundamental human right and understand that solving homelessness requires a collaborative effort. PROGRAM/POSITION OVERVIEW The HomeFirst Landlord Recruitment Program actively engages landlords in the community through outreach efforts and education on housing-related matters. The program offers incentives, mediation support, and workshops to support the development of a robust pool of available units. The Housing Specialist will receive housing and assistance referrals from partnering service providers and search for housing units to match participants experiencing homelessness in the South County region with these units. The Housing Specialist will locate units within the Sonoma County region via landlord recruitment methods including community outreach, cold calling, online searches, building relationships with local property management agencies and other housing professionals and more. The Housing Specialist will track and maintain data on LRI referrals and landlord outreach. The Housing Specialist will maintain communication with and perform regular housing search sessions with case managers and participants to actively search for housing matches. The Petaluma Landlord Recruitment Program consists of a Program Manager, Provider Support Specialist and Housing Specialist. For more information, please visit REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: The position reports to the Program Manager PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIESDirect Services (60%)

• Maintain a caseload of 10-15 active participants in ongoing housing search efforts.
• Provide comprehensive Housing Specialist Job Duties. This may include:
  • Landlord outreach and support
  • Housing search
  • Application assistance
  • Advocacy
  • Landlord/Tenant mediation
  • Assist with financial assistance administration
  • Crisis de-escalation
  • Risk assessment and mandated reporting
  • Connection to community resources, i.e., prevention
  • Other direct service provision

• Meet with Service Provider Case Managers and their participants at a frequency and location determined by their needs.
• Engage in the consistent application of evidence-based practices.
• Support Landlord Recruitment Initiative activities as needed.

This may include:

• • Street-based or community outreach efforts
  • Conducting joint participant meetings
  • Workshop coordination

Documentation (30%)

• Adhere to task completion deadlines.
• Maintain thorough and accurate documentation of participant services in accordance with agency and contractual standards.
• Proactively and consistently improve the quality and effectiveness of program services.
• Maintain physical case file paperwork and documentation.
• Conduct ongoing re-assessment of the clients housing needs, status, and documentation.

General (10%)

• Attend all job-related meetings, including program staff meetings and agency-wide meetings.
• Participate in opportunities for learning and skill maintenance/development.
• Utilize supervision appropriately, maintaining open lines of communication and activity.
• Assist with office-related tasks as needed
• Attends the Sonoma Valley By-Name-List meeting and reports out on progress with participants as needed
• Properly reports any suspected cases of abuse.
• Maintains professional relations and conduct.
• Knows and implements agency, program, and applicable county standards and policy and procedures.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.

QUALITIES

• The Housing Specialist is self-driven and flexible in a day-to-day that may not follow expected paths
• The Housing Specialist has a whatever it takes approach to moving people into housing, meeting barriers with a creative mindset and meeting clients where they are at.
• The Housing Specialist is dedicated to serving the most vulnerable clients in the community
• The Housing Specialist is highly collaborative and enjoys a team-oriented and collaborative environment. They actively drive progress towards shared goals for their participants among varying service providers and housing providers.
• This position will manage a caseload of 10-15 individuals with different goals and housing plans.
• The Housing Specialist must be organized and accountable to multiple priorities.
• HomeFirst is a diverse company in a diverse field. The Housing Specialist desires to work with people from a variety of social and economic backgrounds.

BENEFITS HomeFirst provides comprehensive benefits, including 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage and additional wellness options like chiropractic care, mental health support, pet insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program. We offer a 401(k)-retirement plan with generous matching, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits, and workers' compensation. Employees enjoy 12 holidays, sick leave, and PTO starting at 15 days annually, increasing with tenure, plus 4 hours of civic engagement leave annually to volunteer. ORGANIZATIONAL EQUITY STATEMENT At HomeFirst, diversity, equity, and inclusion guide our services, workplace, and decisions. Recognizing housing as a social justice issue, we prioritize equitable practices, honor lived experiences and uphold dignity for all. By fostering belonging, accountability, and continuous improvement, we embed DEI values in our processes, recruitment, and leadership, striving for excellence at every level. HomeFirst is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. Additionally, HomeFirst participates in the E-Verify program, as required by law. HomeFirst is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please let your recruiter know. QualificationsYOU HAVE (QUALIFICATIONS) Required:

• High School Diploma/GED
• 1 year paid or volunteer experience in social work, housing or related human services required
• Knowledge of housing local market and/or homeless services/continuum of care and experience working with the homeless community
• Valid CA driver's license and insurance, and reliable transportation to use on the job (mileage reimbursement provided). Commuting between Petaluma and Sonoma will be a regular/daily occurrence

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelors in Social Work or Other Related Housing Field preferred, not required
• Real Estate license or property management experience
• People with lived experience encouraged to apply
• Demonstratable understanding of housing first
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel

Other:

• Able to perform sedentary work;
• Able to lift up to 30 lbs. on occasion;
• Ability to use keyboard and read computer screens for extended periods;
• Able to stand/sit for extended periods, kneel, reach and bend related to the completion of duties;