Housing Specialist

Program: Supportive Services for Veteran Families | 815 Burke Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467 

What You’ll Do

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) helps veterans and veteran families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless to develop a plan for long-term housing stability. SSVF helps clients navigate the complicated eviction process, offers financial and money management counseling, helps clients obtain public benefits, provides short-term financial assistance, and helps with relocation if necessary.

As a Housing Specialist, you’ll report to the Program Director and work with homeless veterans to relocate from homelessness into permanent housing. You’ll develop relationships with landlords and brokers, inspect apartments, accompany clients to apartment viewings, and collaborate with government agencies to link apartments and utilize vouchers.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Locating appropriate housing for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness and completing housing inspections in a timely manner.

• Assisting clients with the completion of all housing applications and ensuring applications are submitted to housing programs in a timely manner.

• Accompanying clients to view apartments and assisting with tasks related to obtaining permanent housing, such as lease signing/renewal, inspections, turning on utilities, coordinating moving transportation, etc.

• Developing new housing resources and networking with current NYC and NYS housing subsidy programs.

• Conducting and arranging for outside presentation of client-centered workshops providing information on the skills required to secure and maintain permanent housing.

• Documenting all contact with and on behalf of clients in the electronic case management system.

• Participating in team meetings, case conferences, department meetings, weekly individual supervisory sessions, and staff training meetings.

You’re a great fit for this role if you have:

• High School Diploma or equivalent OR equivalent experience and skills.

• Knowledge of the challenges faced by the homeless veteran population and the supportive services available to successfully achieve the goal of permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

• Prior experience in case management, assessment, counseling, and crisis intervention preferred.

• Strong oral and written communication skills and negotiating ability.

• Dependable, resourceful, keenly attentive to detail, eager to take initiative, and able to work effectively in a fast-paced and demanding environment.

• Excellent organizational and documentation skills enabling management of multiple priorities in a time-sensitive manner.

• Computer literacy, particularly with Microsoft Office applications: Word, Outlook, and Excel.

• Knowledge and understanding of team concepts preferred.

• Valid US driver’s license is a plus.