Housing Specialist - Project Longevity

Company Overview:

New Reach is undergoing an exciting transformation in order to bring the organization to its next level of success. Working to provide, shelter, housing, stabilization, and support for children, families, and individuals experiencing homelessness across CT since 1990, New Reach inspires independence for those affected by homelessness and poverty. Using the most innovative and progressive methods through a continuum of housing and support, New Reach has grown to be one of the most effective nonprofits of its kind in the United States.

Primary Purpose:

Project Longevity Project Longevity is an anti-gun violence program operating across the state. Project Longevity staff work with the police department, probation, parole, corrections, municipal, and community organizations to identify those individuals who are at the highest risk of either committing or being victims of gun violence (and their close associates and family) and offer to connect them with an array of services that can help them move away from those risks. These services may include short-term basic needs, emergency housing, mental or physical health services, substance use disorder services, driver's licenses, job readiness training, occupational skills training, or other services as needed. The Housing Specialist will be working in New Haven to find and stabilize Project Longevity clients in stable housing.

Essential Functions:

• Receive housing referrals from the New Haven Project Longevity team and identify potential barriers to housing placement
• Meet weekly with the New Haven Project Longevity Team to review the list of potential and existing cases, discuss case status, determine what the next steps should be for each case, and whether a case should be inactivated
• Coordinate with Project Longevity staff to identify potential rental units for placement
• Educate landlords in the community about program services and provide support to client and the landlord to promote successful tenancy
• Create effective and innovative strategies to engage and maintain professional landlord relationships, including active participation in the community landlord engagement teams and meetings.
• Coordinate housing placement, including application completion, lease execution, inspections of new units, verification of income and escalating payment structure for the client, and any special conditions of participation
• Arrange for and manage payments through ACT via HMIS data entry and payment requests
• Work with the case management/care coordinator to help participants resolve any barriers with placement, deal with any issues that arise during the rental process, and follow up with the participant regularly to ensure a successful housing placement.
• Attend training on Evidence-Based Practices necessary to the program including but not limited to Critical Time Intervention, Person-Centered Planning, Motivational Interviewing & Trauma Informed Care.
• Document all client and program data in HMIS and other required databases
• Other duties as assigned to ensure successful operations.

Qualifications:

• Associate's Degree (Bachelor's preferred) and two years of experience
• Bilingual in Spanish, both written and oral preferred. Ability to work with diverse populations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Valid CT Driver's License, proof of insurance, and access to reliable transportation.
• Experience in housing, housing law, and other areas as they lend themselves to successfully enhancing this program.
• Highly motivated, and creative with excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to work with a group or independently.
• Strong computer skills including word processing.

If you are looking for something new and exciting and want to join a fast-growing and innovative organization, we'd love to work with you! We offer generous benefits, PTO, paid holidays, a 401K plan, and much more.

EEO/VET Employer