Housing Outreach Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION January 14, 2009

TRANSITION PROJECTS, located in Portland, Oregon, serves people’s basic needs as they transition from homelessness to housing. This position works in inner Southeast Portland serving homeless and low-income men.

APPLICATION PROCESS Please submit a letter of interest specifying the position for which applying and a current resume to [email protected], or by FAX to 503 823 9210, or by mail or in person to TRANSITION PROJECTS, 475 NW Glisan St, Portland OR 97209.

Position: Housing Outreach Specialist Supervisors: Outreach Director Hours: Full Time, May Include Evenings Salary: $13.80 Hourly Wage ($14.18 if bilingual Spanish/English). Benefits: Standard Benefit Package

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES The Housing Outreach Specialist provides homelessness prevention services, assists homeless persons with accessing housing, and offers housing stability support services and case management.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Provide clients, through one-on-one sessions and reference materials, with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to successfully locate and maintain affordable and appropriate housing. 2. Assess client eligibility for housing options and grant-funded housing programs. Enroll clients as appropriate. 3. Track spending on a monthly basis to ensure budget allocations are met. Project future spending commitments. 4. Provide case management services, including advocacy, support and housing retention services. 5. Assist clients in developing and implementing individual goals and objectives to attain and maintain housing stability. 6. Provide follow-up case management to clients placed in permanent housing, including home visits. 7. Develop and maintain relationships with building and property managers and community resources. 8. Assist with mediation between agencies, clients and property/building managers. 9. Follow case management Best Practices 10. Attend staff meetings, case management meetings, and community housing meetings. 11. Create and maintain accurate and comprehensive client files. Document services and demographics in HMIS. 12. Gather data for housing stability reports. Prepare statistical and narrative reports as requested. 13. Other duties as assigned. PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES: Each Transition Projects employee must: 1. Represent the organization professionally at all times. 2. Provide positive role models to residents, tenants and clients. 3. Maintain positive relations with clients, volunteers, co-workers, staff from other agencies, agency funders, and the general public. 4. Be tested for TB within 2 weeks of hire and be retested at least annually thereafter throughout employment. 5. Demonstrate effective communication skills by conveying necessary information accurately, listening effectively and asking questions when clarification is needed. 6. Plan and organize work effectively and ensure its completion. 7. Exercise necessary cost control measures. 8. Demonstrate reliability by being present for work as scheduled, arriving and leaving on time and taking breaks in expected time frames. 9. Interact effectively with persons of diverse ethnic backgrounds, religious views, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations and treat each individual with respect and dignity. 10. Demonstrate team behavior and promote a team-oriented environment. 11. Demonstrate initiative. 12. Participate in ongoing development and improvement of all program processes and relationships.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee, with or without accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 1. Hearing and vision adequate for interaction with clients, interaction with staff and interaction with the general public. 2. Hearing adequate for telephone work. Vision adequate for close work. 3. Hand and finger dexterity adequate to operate standard office equipment. 4. Ability to walk, bend, stand, sit, reach, stoop, pull, sit, and squat. 5. Ability to climb stairs. 6. Ability to lift 50 pounds. 7. Reasoning ability to make decisions that reflect consistency with TPI philosophy, policies and procedures. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 1. (a) A Bachelor's degree with 1 year experience in assessment/intake and/or case management and 1 year experience working with homeless persons -or- (b) 3 years experience working with homeless populations with at least one of those years performing assessment/intake and/or case management for that population. 2. Demonstrated ability to interact with other agencies in developing and providing services to clients; including ability to advocate on behalf of clients for services with other agencies. 3. Demonstrated ability to interact with property and building managers and develop relationships. 4. Ability to provide mediation between agencies, clients, and property and building managers. 5. Demonstrated knowledge of homeless issues including barriers to achieving and maintaining housing. 6. Demonstrated knowledge of landlord tenant law. 7. Demonstrated knowledge of services available to assist the homeless. 8. Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team in the delivery of services to clients. 9. Excellent computer skills. Demonstrated ability to use word processing, database, spreadsheet, e-mail, and Internet programs. 10. Demonstrated ability to prepare accurate and comprehensive statistical and narrative reports. 11. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please submit a letter of interest specifying the position for which applying and a current resume to [email protected], or by FAX to 503 823 9210, or by mail or in person to TRANSITION PROJECTS, 475 NW Glisan St, Portland OR 97209. Disclaimer The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.