Housing Support Specialist

About The Centers

The Centers is one of the oldest and largest health and human services organizations in Northeast Ohio, serving more than 30,000 people across the region each year. The organization is dedicated to providing innovative and integrated services to achieve a common goal of equity. The Centers focuses on healing, teaching, and inspiring individuals and families to reach their full potential. They offer health, family, workforce, and residential services at 11 locations throughout Greater Cleveland, creating life-changing solutions for people to lead healthier and more successful lives.

The Benefits

Providing quality benefits to our staff is important to us. Just as important is our staff’s well-being. That’s why we offer a number of choices from medical to dental to vision plans to meet the different needs of our staff. We support our staff’s financial well-being by providing employer paid long-term disability, a very competitive defined contribution towards retirement and access to a financial advisor when you need it. We have nutrition and fitness coaches available for consultation. We also have a generous time off program as well as other benefits we can share with you based on your individual interests.

About the Position

Qualifications 

• Associate degree in social work, psychology, or mental health-related field bachelor’s degree in social work or psychology preferred.
• Three (3) years of case management or care coordination experience.
• Two (2) years of experience in social service delivery and/or housing compliance.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community resources, social service agencies, landlords, Ohio tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Experience with the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program a plus.
• Demonstrates and maintains proficiency in effectively using database software, computer hardware and any job performance related technologies.
• Valid driver’s license. Must be able to travel between locations, without issues, by way of own means.
• Sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the population served.
• Flexible schedule to work outside of normal business hours to meet client needs.
• Bilingual in oral and written English and Spanish a plus.

Job Summary

The Housing Support Specialist (HSS) provides essential care coordination and support services to pregnant individuals and families, with a primary focus on securing stable and permanent housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness. The HSS will collaborate closely with clients to assess their needs, develop personalized action plans, and offer ongoing assistance to promote housing stability and self-sufficiency. This role involves maintaining accurate client records and ensuring compliance with program standards and reporting requirements.

The ideal candidate should be comfortable in a community-facing role, which includes conducting home and community visits to engage directly with clients, assess their needs, and provide tailored support to promote housing stability and self-sufficiency.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Collaborates with clients to establish personalized strength-based action plans that outline the steps needed to achieve their housing goals, addressing any barriers and to promote permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
• Monitors client progress and provides ongoing support and follow-up to clients to ensure housing stability and self-sufficiency.
• Assesses client housing needs by collecting financial and housing history data to develop search strategies.
• Conduct needs assessments and screenings for new referrals.
• Assist in developing and encouraging adherence to a personal budget through proactive housing and budget counseling sessions.
• Provides budget counseling and education to assist clients in establishing payment plans for bills and past debts and assisting clients in obtaining and maintaining their housing.
• Develops an effective, timely referral network to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
• Collaborates with landlords, property managers, and housing agencies to secure client housing options.
• Assists participants in identifying their strengths and barriers to stability and links them to resources and services to reduce barriers.
• Conducts proactive home visits to aid integration, reduce isolation, and identify resources for self-sufficiency and community reintegration.
• Provides education and advocacy to clients regarding housing rights and responsibilities.
• Assist clients in locating and securing affordable housing options.
• Provides care coordination and care transitions for clients.
• Collaborates with team members and community partners to enhance program effectiveness and achieve program goals.
• Ensures adherence to program standards, regulations, and reporting requirements, while also meeting agency-specific goals, reports, and metrics.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date client records, documenting one on one sessions, progress, and outcomes in compliance with funder and program guidelines.
• Maintains neat and accurate client records.
• Enters information into CRM System

 Core Competencies

• Verbal and Written Expression: Expresses thoughts clearly, concisely, and effectively both verbally and in writing. Able to communicate in understandable language and to adjust one’s use of language to the audience’s level.

• Marshaling Resources: Providing clients with resources beyond the agency’s capabilities. Seeking resources from local, state, and federal government agencies to address client needs.
• Interpersonal Savvy: Builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
• Organization & Time Management: Organizes work, effectively prioritizes with support of supervisor.
• Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a variety of disciplines and other personnel and service providers or professionals.
• Diversity & Inclusion: Self-aware, attentive listener, people-oriented, cognizant of bias, cultural intelligence; demonstrating a respect for divergent viewpoints; an awareness of and sensitivity to the cultural diversity of the population served, thereby contributing to an environment that is equitable, inclusive, and cooperative.

The Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.