Job Title: Health & Social Services (HSS) Housing Specialist
Grade: P1-P3
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Department: Health & Social Services
Assignment Category: Regular, Full-Time
Hours per day: 8
Location: Sara Frances Hometel & Potiker Family Senior Residence
Reports to one: HSS Program Manager – Permanent Supportive Housing
Who We Are:
Established in 1970, Serving Seniors helps San Diego County’s low-income seniors overcome poverty through whole-person, wraparound support including meals, housing, health and social services, and enrichment activities. We work at numerous sites across the county and in the homes of hundreds of homebound seniors. Our flagship Gary & Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown San Diego is unlike any other senior center in the nation. Bringing together a range of supportive services under one roof, the Senior Wellness Center operates 365 days a year and offers two floors of integrated care, including health and social services, housing navigation, enrichment activities, lifelong learning, a Cyber Café and linkage to over 25 onsite direct service partners, including a senior dental center. Last fiscal year, we provided over 1,400,000 meals and coordinated services to 6,800 older adults.
Our Mission: Helping seniors in poverty live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Our Vision: All seniors, regardless of income, are able to thrive, engage in their communities, lead purposeful lives, and have a place they call home.
Our Core Values:
Advocacy - Acknowledging and supporting the needs of older adults at the individual, community, and policy-level.
Person-Centered - Seeing the whole person, providing coordinated support, and treating all with dignity and respect.
Integrity – Representing the values of honesty, trust, and transparency within our community.
Compassion & Empathy – Approaching our work with a heartfelt desire to better understand and serve.
Impact – Measuring and evaluating programs to ensure that for every dollar invested, there is a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.
Inclusive – Promoting an environment that nurtures differences and allows individuals to be their entire, authentic selves.
Top Workplace Award Recipient
Serving Seniors has received the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Top Workplaces Award nine out of the ten years the awards program has taken place, and most recently for four years in a row from 2019-2022.
Why our current employees enjoy working for us:
- We offer a comprehensive benefits package.
- Serving Seniors pays 100% of employee’s medical & dental coverage (for employees who qualify for benefits).
- We offer paid holidays and paid time off to all employees.
- We offer a floating holiday to all employees.
- We offer up to a 3% match on 403(b) retirement plans, to all employees.
- We’ve been voted a best place to work for over three years in San Diego.
- We are a stable company with over 50 years of experience.
Job Purpose
The HSS Housing Specialist works independently and collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team, including the San Diego Housing Commission, to assist eligible clients in obtaining and retaining permanent supportive housing. The HSS Housing Specialist determines, certifies, and/or re-certifies client’s eligibility, computes clients’ rents, and authorizes housing assistance payments within established limits. The HSS Housing Specialist also inspects housing units, prepares leases, and contracts, and advises clients concerning their rights and responsibilities to ensure compliance with housing regulations
Job Duties and Responsibilities
· Compiles and assesses eligibility information in compliance with housing regulations.
· Computes and processes housing assistance payments.
· Inspects housing units to ensure compliance with established housing quality standards.
· Prepares leases and contracts.
· Advises clients and property management on their rights and responsibilities.
· Reviews and processes damage claims.
· Maintains and monitors records.
· Connects clients to both in-house and community resources.
· Adheres to established policies and procedures, provides excellent customer service, and demonstrates ability to work in a multi-disciplinary setting.
· Provides advocacy and outreach to the community and fellow stakeholders.
· Demonstrates commitment to the values, vision, and mission of Serving Seniors
· Effectively communicates with multidisciplinary team members through regular coordination.
· Recognizes how individual performance affects overall agency goals and objectives.
· Completes efficient, timely and accurate documentation of all client efforts, interactions, referrals, and data entry into various software programs (Case Worthy, Teams)
· Complies with budgetary guidelines.
· Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the key accountabilities of the job; may require degree in specialized field, e.g., social work
· Bilingual Spanish preferred
Preferred Skills
· Excellent analytical, verbal, and written communication skills; ability to establish rapport.
· Strongly defined sense of professional boundaries
· Ability to think critically, solve problems creatively, and effectively assist clients in difficult situations.
· A positive attitude, desire to learn and grow, and aspirations to lead.
· Ability to maintain professional capacity during crisis situations.
· Demonstrates integrity, honesty, a sense of responsibility, ability to use good judgment and maintain confidentiality.
· Ability to work independently as well as within a team-based approach, multi-task, and set priorities to meet deadlines.
· Possesses excellent organizational skills.
· Ability to work collaboratively with both internal and external partners.
· High level of proficiency in web-based systems, Microsoft Office, and other client Record Management systems
