Senior Housing Specialist

Senior Housing Specialist ABOUT US Founded in 1991, Hope Solutions, formerly Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, is a vibrant and socially responsive non-profit agency that provides permanent housing and vital support services to over 2,000 homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. Over 40 faith-based communities support our work, although there are no religious requirements or affiliations to receive services.

What are you passionate about? At Hope Solutions, our mission is to heal the effects of poverty and homelessness by providing permanent housing and vital support services. We envision a community where everyone has a place to call home and the opportunity to live with dignity and reach their full potential. We carry out this mission with integrity, respect, compassion, and humility.

TEAM SNAPSHOT Our team is made up of passionate, mission-driven individuals dedicated to improving lives through housing, supportive services, and community partnerships. Together, we work to help individuals and families achieve housing stability and self-sufficiency. We're excited to welcome others who share our mission.

Visit our website to learn more about our leadership team and us. WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR: The Senior Housing Specialist is responsible for providing housing search and placement support, home-based case management, and referrals to community resources for homeless families enrolled in the CalWORKs program across Contra Costa County.

This role works in close partnership with Employment Specialists and referring CalWORKs case managers from the Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD) to ensure a coordinated, client-centered approach to housing stability and self-sufficiency. The Senior Housing Specialist provides individualized, flexible support to homeless families to assist them in moving into stable, sustainable housing as quickly as possible.

Initial work includes assessing the family's housing needs and potential barriers, collaboratively creating a Housing Stability Plan, and accessing any resources needed to further the goal of becoming or remaining housed. Housing Stability Plans may include subsidy support for a time-limited period. After families are housed, the Housing Specialist will continue to provide services and referrals to community providers as needed to address housing retention barriers.

All housing support services are participant-driven and delivered with a strength-based, trauma-informed approach. Services are delivered in the community and the home at the families' convenience. Subsidy support is designed as short-term assistance to resolve a housing crisis, to offer a flexible level of intensity as needed, and to provide warm hand-offs to other providers if families need further support after becoming stably housed.

Supervisory Responsibility: None The Senior Housing Specialist may assist the Program Manager with any or all of the following (and is expected to handle at least one bullet per subsection): Onboarding: Participating in the hiring process. Training staff on team-specific Standards of Practice (SOPs), documentation, and paperwork.

Supporting staff in using HMIS/Apricot for data entry, note-taking, and referral tracking. Providing shadowing opportunities for home visits and fieldwork, and exposing new staff to assessments, intakes, resource connections, follow-ups, exits, and landlord interactions. Client Intakes and Assessments: Training and assisting staff (both new hires and those needing guidance) with program-specific paperwork, contract liaison forms, and filing/documentation processes.

Maintaining relationships with contract liaisons and referral sources. Act as the point of contact in the manager's absence and participate in contract liaison meetings. Data and Reporting: Reviewing, generating, & customizing reports in HMIS/Apricot to support your/your team’s work. Monitoring program outcomes using dashboards and reports, addressing key data points such as exits, income changes, flagged items.

Managing and tracking subsidy requests by preparing and submitting them to the manager and collaborating on data reviews. Participating in quarterly data and finance meetings to align on reporting and outcomes. Managerial Support and External Representation: Providing ongoing support to staff, offering guidance and feedback, in small groups and/or team meetings.

Serving as the point of contact when the manager is unavailable, ensuring communication with the director and updating the manager upon their return. Attending community and external meetings on behalf of Hope Solutions, creating agendas, hosting discussions, and taking detailed notes. Assist Team members on an as-needed basis with assessing client needs and service planning.

WHAT WILL YOU DO: Client Support: Maintain regular contact with clients and conduct home visits based on assessed needs. Complete psychosocial, life skills, financial, and housing needs assessments; develop plans to secure safe, sustainable housing. Research housing opportunities, help clients select suitable options, address screening barriers, and prepare verification documents for applications.

Provide housing resources and educate clients on leases, tenant/landlord rights, and responsibilities. Transport clients to meet prospective landlords, complete applications, and inspect potential units. Collaborate with clients to develop and monitor individual or family housing support plans, encouraging independence and providing assistance.

Offer ongoing support with budgeting, benefits, service access, accompanying clients to medical/mental health appointments, and housing stability. Provide or coordinate mental health interventions, including crisis management. Connect clients with medical, mental health, addiction/recovery, financial, legal, other community services; coordinate care with Department staff and community partners throughout service delivery.

Landlord/Community Outreach and Engagement: Work with community partners to assess housing barriers and the needs of clients experiencing homelessness who are eligible for services. Maintain key relationships with community service providers, Probation referral sources, and Coordinated Entry programs. Develop outreach and marketing strategies to identify landlords and build housing inventory.

Present to interested parties: target audiences will vary but may include faith communities, rental associations, board and care facilities, elected officials, and property management companies. In partnership with Hope Solutions brokered housing and property management staff, collaborate regarding shared housing resources.

Provide mediation and advocacy with landlords on clients’ behalf to assist with obtaining and/or maintaining housing. Create and maintain consistent verbal and written communication channels between collaborating parties (tenant, landlord, referral sources, service agencies, debtors, creditors). Cultural Responsiveness: Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.

Knowledge of and commitment to concepts and issues tied to social justice and housing justice. Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility, authenticity, backgrounds, goals. Participate in and complete our new employee onboarding process, which includes reading and discussing a short chapter in the book, The Color of Law.

Organizational/Administrative Responsibilities: Professionally represent Hope Solutions and comply with agency policies and applicable local, state, and federal regulations. Follow professional ethics and HIPAA requirements, protect client confidentiality and rights, advocate for clients, and ensure their safety. Complete required administrative and personnel paperwork, reports, and expense documentation (food supplies, petty cash, mileage) accurately and on time.

Document all services promptly and assist with data for reports and funding applications. Attend required staff and team meetings, case conferences, and meetings with partner agencies. On-call, after-hours, and backup work may be required. Perform other duties as assigned. Work Location Classification Mobile: Work occurs across multiple locations and in the field, requiring travel to meet with clients, partners, and support program operations.

Work from home requires advance written (email) approval from the Program Director or Manager. Requests must include the proposed date/hours, business reason, and work plan. For urgent same-day requests, notify leadership promptly and follow direction on approval, schedule changes, or leave. New program employees must work on-site for the first 90 calendar days unless the Program Director or Manager approves an exception.

Staff are expected to spend approximately six hours per day on face-to-face work and two hours on administration/documentation. With supervisor approval, hours may be averaged over a week or month based on client and program needs. Client-facing work may occur on-site or in the field and include appointments, sessions, support services, and coordinating community resources with clients present.

Schedules may adjust for operational needs, client availability, safety, or urgent priorities while maintaining performance expectations. When approved to work from home, employees must maintain confidentiality, work in a private professional setting, complete tasks and documentation on time, and track time accurately.

Position Qualifications: Knowledge of and belief in “Housing First” philosophy and strategies. Passion for and demonstrated experience successfully supporting vulnerable populations, especially homeless clients with mental disabilities. BA degree in social work or related field; equivalent experience will be considered.

Minimum of two years’ experience in the human service field, preferably with housing retention barriers such as substance abuse, mental health, and/or income challenges. Knowledge or willingness to learn HUD requirements, including tenant certifications and/or experience working with HUD-funded properties. Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.

Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. Computer proficiency in the use of Microsoft and database applications. Must have an operational vehicle, auto insurance, valid California driver’s license, be willing to drive for work. Must pass Live. Scan screening and TB test. Salary contingent upon skill and experience.

Physical Qualifications: Ability to climb stairs for home visits to second or third-floor apartments without elevators. May accompany clients on walks of up to ½ mile to community resources. Ability to perform desk-based duties for up to three hours at a time, including computer work, case documentation, calls, communication with clients and providers.

Occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds, including furnishings, files, donations. Ability to drive and transport clients to appointments or home visits, including at night.

Compensation

& Benefits: Flexible, dynamic work environment. 100% premium paid for employee health, dental care. Matched 403b retirement savings. 11 paid holidays, plus 3 floating holidays. Ability to accrue 2-4 weeks' vacation depending on tenure. Life insurance and Employee Assistance Program. We are an equal-opportunity employer.

If you're a good fit, we want to meet you! Please be advised that we are unable to provide sponsorship for this position. The nature of the work at Hope Solutions does not qualify us to support sponsorship. Only candidates authorized to work in the USA without the need for sponsorship will be considered.