POSITION TITLE Housing Navigator LOCATION Louisville, KY STATUS Full Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt PROGRAM VOA Honor REPORTS TO Senior Director of Veteran Services
INTRODUCTION
Volunteers of America Mid-States VOA is a non-profit organization spanning four states that creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. We provide housing for families veterans and low-income seniors. We provide care and support for individuals with developmental disabilities, healing accountability that brings people together with restorative justice and free HIV testing and education. When Volunteers of America was founded in 1896, volunteer referred to anyone who served others as a vocation through a commitment to a mission. Today, we are still staffed by paid mission-driven professionals working to create positive change and build thriving communities. Flexibility, teamwork, and fun are some of the reasons our employees are proud to work at VOA. We offer a comprehensive benefits package to employees who meet eligibility requirements.
BENEFITS
Volunteers of America Mid-States offers a rich and robust benefits package that supports a healthy work-life balance, including:
• Health and Wellness • Employee Assistance Plans (EAP) • Health and Wellness Program • Medical Coverage • Dental Coverage • Vision Coverage • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Short Term Disability • MetLife Legal Plans • Financial Wellbeing • Competitive Compensation Packages • Life Insurance • Company paid 403b retirement plan with company fund matching • Employee discounts • Loan forgiveness options through federal programs • National Health Corp & Public Service Loan Forgiveness
All company paid benefits and paid time off effective day one
WORK CULTURE
Commitment Committee Justice Committee Integrity Committee Compassion Committee Retention Committee
JOB SUMMARY AND QUALIFICATIONS
The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program assists Veterans who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in ending their housing crisis. The goal of the Housing Navigator is to support SSVFs main goal to end homelessness amongst Veterans. This position will actively work with area VA HUD-VASH teams to identify landlords and community partners who are willing to connect Veterans with and maintain long-term housing stability and self-sufficiency.
Responsibilities:
• Serve as a liaison between local HUD-VASH teams, attending all case conferencing with both HUD-VASH and SSVF teams, and locally coordinating and planning to be responsive to the needs of unhoused Veterans in the service area. • Advocate with local public housing authorities. • Build partnerships with community partners, service providers, and government agencies to increase access to long-term sustainable housing. • Conduct outreach to identify housing resources. • Understand the barriers that clients in both urban and rural areas face and how to best service clients in both of these areas. • Demonstrate ability to work with Veteran families experiencing homelessness of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds with sensitivity to their individual housing needs. • Responsible for explaining, interpreting, and applying for HUD-VASH and Section 8 programs. • Advocate for Veterans and act as liaison while working with landlords, rental agencies, community organizations, and other service agencies. • Read, interpret, and explain rental contracts between Veterans and landlords, ensuring the contract is fair and capable. • Work in partnership with other SSVF Case Managers, Intake Coordinators, and Outreach Workers, and participate in regular case consultation. • Develop cooperative arrangements with government agencies and community partners in providing housing for homeless families. • Conduct all housing inspections on eligible units. • Serve as a resource for housing education and support tailored to the needs and desires of the Veteran. • Provide housing education services, materials, and referrals to Veterans and their family based on individual needs. • In addition, conduct informational meetings and trainings with community partners, property management companies, and landlords on SSVF program and housing needs, as well as fair housing guidelines. • Negotiate rental rates, review leases, and provide feedback to case consultation team. • Understand HUD, HUD-VASH, Section 8, and other housing guidelines, rules, and regulations. • Maintain active landlord and housing provider list and actively establish new housing providers and partners. • Develop relationships with VA staff, Housing Authority, community partners, employers, and other referral networks. • Comply with all policies and procedures of the program and the Council on Accreditation. • Participate in outreach activities, including but not limited to street shelter outreach, coordinated-entry meetings, Stand Down resource fairs, Week of Valor, Veterans Day events, and annual PIT count.
REQUIREMENTS
A Bachelors degree in social work or related field and less than five years of experience in the field, or a Veteran with three years of related work experience. You must have a demonstrated ability to provide a reasonable combination of the following knowledge, abilities, and skills:
• Ability to access local resources • Advocacy • Working cooperatively with local service providers • Knowledge of problems associated with the target population • Effective communication • Ability to exercise tact, diplomacy, judgment, discretion, and honesty • Commitment to the principles of the SSVF program • Excellent verbal and written communication skills • High degree of organization and creative problem-solving skills • Personal automobile, valid drivers license, liability insurance, and willingness and ability to travel between counties served by the project up to 90% of the time • Must complete required training within 90 days of hire
WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.