Rental Leasing Specialist

The Rental Leasing Specialist is responsible for completing housing voucher recertifications, coordinating client moves, and unit identification. The Rental Leasing Specialist works with clients receiving Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) funded through Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) administered by Victory Programs and clients with housing vouchers administered through Metro Housing Boston. Key responsibilities include eligibility determination, new client enrollment, lease ups, unit inspections, recertifications, and processing household changes. The Rental Leasing Specialist leads unit identification and landlord engagement to facilitate effective apartment search for supportive housing clients with mobile housing vouchers. The Rental Leasing Specialist reports to and is supervised by the Program Manager of Housing and Stabilization Services.
 

Location: Keys to Home provides intensive housing search, housing advocacy, and life-stabilization services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness and unstable housing situations. Keys to Home is focused on the interconnection of housing and health.  Our program helps families and individuals obtain permanent, safe housing solutions, increase self-sufficiency, and gain skills which support stability with housing and health. 
 

Essential Functions:

• Act in accordance with Victory Programs, Inc.’s Standards of Excellence always, including maintaining professional ethics, boundaries and client confidentiality. 
• Adheres to and ensures all policies and procedures of the programs and agency are followed. 
• Adhere to established safety policies, procedures and precautions; enforce agency’s policies and clinical procedures, including safety and crisis procedures. 
• Adhere to the highest principles of client confidentiality.
• Maintains professional competence necessary to perform job responsibilities; Oversee enrollment, relocation and housing stabilization for Supportive Housing clients with housing vouchers:
• Coordinate lease-up procedures and annual recertification for all program participants.
• Coordinate process of filling program vacancies: receive referrals, document eligibility, complete program briefing with new clients.
• Contact landlords and program participants as appropriate to ensure timely completion of program requirements—annual recertification, interim changes, and special adjustments.
• Understand key HUD documents and incorporate into day-to-day program administration: forms and their expiration dates, income limits, fair market rents, payment standards, etc.
• For Victory Programs TBRA households: 
• Draft and issue leases, lease addendums and Housing Assistance Payments contracts. Submit recertification and lease-up documents to the Program Director of Rental Assistance Programs to review. Provide additional documentation as needed for approval.
• Complete Housing Quality Standard housing inspections for all new lease-ups and as needed.
• Complete proposed termination notices, citing voucher violations and present the administrative position at hearings.
• Administer the waitlist: conduct outreach as needed, maintain accurate records of waitlist applicants, lead the processes of identifying new clients for voucher issuance and determining eligibility.
• Serve as liaison with property owners/managers; lead unit identification:
• Maintain current, accurate tracking of all supportive housing clients seeking relocation.
• Identify units that meet clients’ needs and preferences.
• Engage landlords, explain program guidelines and processes, payment standards, and housing quality standards.
• Work collaboratively with Housing Case Managers, clients, property owners/managers to arrange viewings.
• Educate landlords regarding landlord/tenant leases and Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract for TBRA clients.
• Verify property ownership and collect landlord documents for Victory TBRA clients.

Provide direct housing search and coordination services to clients:

• Provide direct housing search services to clients as needed: identify housing needs and preferences; identify possible barriers including CORI, credit and eviction history; complete online searches, landlord outreach and assist with housing applications.
• Work with property management and clients to fill any vacancies in the project-based supportive housing program: confirm eligibility, assist clients with appealing denials, coordinate move-in and assist clients with initial needs to stabilize in housing.
• Provide direct services to supportive housing clients to facilitate stabilization if Housing Case Manager is not available to do so.

Maintain up-to-date client and payment records:

• Maintain current, accurate spreadsheets tracking client and landlord information and status.
• Produce a monthly rent payment list that is timely and accurate.
• Record all client work in the electronic health record/system. 

Meet agency participatory expectations:

• Attend department, and agency meetings, as required.
• Participate in quality assessment and improvement activities as requested.
• Attend all required meetings, in-services and professional training.
• Maintains professional competence necessary to perform job responsibilities; maintains and provides agency with records of continuing education activities.
• Perform related duties and projects as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience plus 5 years social service experience in the housing field.
• 2 years of supervisory experience including recruitment, training and supporting a diverse workforce.
• Experience in housing and case management services.
• Ability to work harmoniously and effectively with colleagues, clients and vendors across the spectrum of diversity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, national origin and immigrant status, religious or spiritual identity, disability (physical, mental, emotional and developmental), veteran status, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Demonstrated competence in service coordination and networking with other human services and health care providers. 
• Familiarity with State and Federal housing programs is strongly desired. 
• Experience using Microsoft Word and EXCEL and Goggle suites. 
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively as a member of a professional team.
• Must be CPR certified (may be obtained upon hire)
• Complete TB screening (may be obtained upon hire)
• Three strong work related professional references; at least 2 from manager or supervisor.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experiences working with issues related to social and economic inequalities, including issues related to HIV/AIDS, substance use, homelessness, mental health, and bi-lingual, multicultural & LGBTQIA+ communities.
• Experience advocating for beneficiaries with government assistance agencies, housing authorities, private landlords or realtors preferred.
• Experience designing and conducting trainings/workshops.
• Working knowledge of HIV/AIDS community trends, harm reduction, and at-risk populations and commitment and experience to delivering low-threshold, easily accessible service. 
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and responsibilities; excellent organizational, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-directed, motivated and flexible with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to meet the following physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodations:
• Sit at a computer station for extended periods of time.
• Ability to keyboard for extended periods of time.

Position Type: Non-Exempt, Full-time position (40 hours weekly) Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Rate: $ 26.00 hourly

Victory Programs values a diverse workforce, as we collectively seek to create welcoming, inclusive and accessible environments for our employees and the people we serve. We strive to sustain healthy, functioning communities that respect and celebrate different experiences, identities, cultures and ideas.
 

Victory Programs has helped individuals and families in crisis for over 45 years. Thousands turn to us yearly for shelter, sustenance, recovery, care, and professional, compassionate support. Most struggle with homelessness, substance use and mental health, and many live with HIV/AIDS. Our team of more than 300 staff across over 30+ programs works with people to develop and execute creative, safe solutions to the very real challenges our clients face.
 

Our benefit program includes a 75% health and 25% dental employer premium contribution, 100% employer paid disability and life insurance.