Job Title: Housing Stabilization Specialist
Why work at MCCAC?
Mid-Columbia Community Action Council (MCCAC), located in the heart of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, serves Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman Counties. MCCAC offers programs and services to ensure our most vulnerable community members have access to healthy, safe, stable, and affordable housing. This is accomplished through our housing, energy/utility payment assistance and weatherization programs. MCCAC’s mission is to build a better future for our community through partnership and equity-centered programs that prevent and eliminate poverty and houselessness.
Job Purpose:
The Housing Stabilization Specialist will play a key role in working to end houselessness and addressing barriers to housing access in the MCCAC service area, as well as assisting the participant household in attempting to become successful in maintaining permanent housing. This position is a case management position with a core focus on housing retention and stabilization. Housing stabilization priorities include coordination with housing providers, landlords, health care entities, social service providers, transportation, education and workforce development stakeholders, and state and federal agencies, to ensure that individuals and families that have found housing can have supports in place to help facilitate needs that may arise that may hinder successful retention of permanent housing. The Housing Stabilization Specialist will also provide case management check-ins with participants to coordinate housing stability plans and any on-going needed support to help maintain permanent stable housing. The position will also have a light focus on street outreach, when necessary. Outreach priorities will include providing case management and linking houseless clients to basic needs resources such as food boxes and hygiene, and linking program participants to other available community resources that will assist in housing stability.
Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities:
Housing Retention Program Delivery (75-85%):
● Develop a housing stability plan including but not limited to financial and self- sufficiency case management plan with participants. This includes intake interviews to determine client’s needs, goals, and eligibility
● Mediate and advocate with landlords, on behalf of program participants, to ensure housing is maintained.
● Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e... tenant, landlord referral source, and collaborating agencies)
● Assist participants in development of strength based/ solution- focused goals that promote permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
● Develop an effective, and timely referral network to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed. Maintain active understanding of mainstream and community resources, both at MCCAC and partner service providers, that assist clients with achieving goals related to housing stabilization and overall health and well-being.
● Work in collaboration with MCCAC’s intake specialist through the Unite Us platform to engage with new clients and complete regular client intakes and manage casework appointments to facilitate positive client-landlord relationships.
● Educate clients of their rights and responsibilities under Oregon Residential Lease Agreements and Tenant-Landlord Law.
● Educate landlords, partner organizations, and caseworkers about rapid rehousing assistance, eviction prevention assistance, and other supportive services offered by MCCAC. Serve as lead liaison to houseless and at risk of losing housing MCCAC clients in assigned county(ies) who are in need of rapid rehousing, eviction prevention and other housing placement/retention assistance, including by:
Generating and sending letters and otherwise corresponding with landlords upon clients’ submission of rapid rehousing assistance, eviction prevention assistance and other related program applications
Program administration, compliance, and training (10-15%):
● Maintain case files according to documentation requirements established by MCCAC internal policies and state and federal policies (including end of year file retention process)
● Support timely data entry in Homelessness Management Information System, Connect Oregon and other systems utilized by MCCAC
● Utilize vouchering system to track rapid rehousing assistance, eviction prevention assistance and other systems, such as PEX, to track other MCCAC funds being used for street outreach, housing placement, and housing retention costs
● Meet monthly with Housing Stabilization Manager to assess rapid rehousing, eviction prevention, and street outreach program budgets and policies and ensure adherence to program budgets
● Collaborate with fellow MCCAC Housing Stabilization staff, Shelter staff, and caseworkers from relevant partner organizations to do case conferencing and make waitlist updates
● Attend Community Health Worker training and become certified within the first year of employment (MCCAC will provide the training opportunity and facilitate the cost for training)
● Utilize Harm Reduction, Trauma Informed Care, Rapid Rehousing, culturally responsive, and Housing First approaches to serve clients
● Conduct weekly or monthly check-ins with clients who have open street outreach or housing placement/retention cases with MCCAC; complete required documentation and re-assessment paperwork on a timely basis, and coordinate additional referrals as needed
● Close street outreach and housing placement/retention cases and complete appropriate paperwork according to clients’ individual case plans and MCCAC program guidelines
Client outreach, resource navigation, and referral (5-10%):
● Conduct street and camp outreach with housing program staff and partners to engage with families and individuals experiencing houselessness, which may include responding to referrals requesting street outreach services and helping address physical and safety needs of people experiencing houselessness, especially in scenarios when extra street outreach support is necessary such as during severe weather events
Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications:
● Ability to adhere to agency and program policies and procedures
● Ability to coordinate with MCCAC’s housing retention specialist and work as a team
● Ability to maintain client and agency confidentiality
● Ability to communicate effectively in writing and in person with MCCAC client groups, community partners, the general public, and co-workers
● Ability to maintain professionalism, even in high pressure situations
● Ability to address sensitive situations with a culturally competent, trauma-informed approach
● Experience or comfort with working with clients living outside, including those with behavioral health and substance abuse disorder needs
● Ability to effectively handle high volume telephone, email, and in-person contact
● Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy and be detail-oriented, prompt, and dependable
● Ability to work as a collaborative member of the Housing Stabilization team
● Knowledge of Oregon Landlord/Tenant, Fair Housing, and Equal Access Laws
● Knowledge and demonstrated ability in Microsoft Office programs and ability to learn and use videoconferencing and other digital tools that enhance collaboration and communication
● High school Diploma or GED required; Associate degree preferred
● Minimum two years on the job experience in customer service
● Intermediate proficiency with computer and phone systems, email, voicemail, etc.
● Ability to speak and write fluently in Spanish (desired)
● Those with lived experience with houselessness, behavioral health challenges, and/or substance abuse disorders encouraged to apply
● Criminal background check (required)
I understand that Mid-Columbia Community Action Council will not deny me employment solely because of a prior felony conviction. Instead, MCCAC will determine on a case-by-case basis whether any consumer report information, including criminal history, is relevant to the duties of the position for which I have applied. With respect to criminal history information, MCCAC will consider circumstances such as the nature of prior conviction(s), their timing, and other factors to determine my employment eligibility. Not all convictions are automatically disqualifying. I understand that I may speak with a hiring Manager from MCCAC about circumstances related to a prior conviction that I would like to be taken into consideration
Position Details:
● This position is rated as active with frequent kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting, regularly requires the individual to lift 30 pounds
● The duties outlined in this job description are not all inclusive and additional duties and tasks will be assigned as required.
● Prior to date of hire, and throughout employment certification of the following are required:
Valid driver’s license
Proof of current auto insurance
● MCCAC is an equal employment opportunity employer
● In-person, at MCCAC Office (Wasco/Sherman County position is based in The Dalles, Hood River County position is based in Hood River)
● Fair Labor Standards Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
● Reports to: Housing Stabilization Manager
Salary and Benefits Information
● An hourly wage of 23.37 (full-time position, 40 hours/week with potential for longer hours)
Plus, a 3% pay differential for successful bilingual (Spanish and English) candidates
● Benefits: MCCAC offers an excellent benefits package including Blue Cross medical insurance with the agency covering 90% for employees and dependents. Dental and vision coverage. Life insurance, 401k, paid vacation, and sick leave.
Duration
● Permanent position.
Veterans, people of color, and people with lived experience encouraged to apply.
Position will remain open until filled.
Please Submit Resume and Cover Letter to:
Mitzi Mason, Housing Stabilization Manager - mmason@mccac.com