Housing Specialist

Join to apply for the Housing Specialist role at Volunteers of America Los Angeles
. Volunteers of America is a non-profit human services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. VOALA provides a variety of social services to Los Angeles area communities such as Head Start programs, Upward Bound college prep programs, veterans’ services, homeless shelters, low‑income housing program as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
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$23.53 - $24.77 per hour.

VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision and retirement benefits.

The Housing Specialist is responsible for identifying suitable housing options for program participants and their families, and assisting the participants to achieve sustainable and healthy independent living.

• Identify and locate housing options suitable for homeless participants, including referral to VOALA shelters as appropriate.
• Create and maintain a housing database linking tenants to apartments.
• Communicate with landlords and familiarize them with the VOALA programs and the unique needs of participants.
• Conduct habitability and lead‑based paint inspections of housing options as needed.
• Work directly (one‑on‑one) with landlords on behalf of clients and the program.
• Develop support systems to meet individual client’s housing needs; coordinate and facilitate move‑in activities, rental negotiations, and service referrals as needed.
• Facilitate the use of community resources to assist both tenants and landlords in the event of problems leading to potential eviction.
• Provide information referrals, crisis intervention, and assistance with permanent housing placement for participants as a member of the program case management team.
• Assist case managers in conducting comprehensive screenings and assessments to collect functional, environmental, financial, employment, housing, educational, and health information to develop an Individual Service Plan.
• Coordinate follow‑up services with the case management team.
• Additional duties as assigned.

• Identify and locate housing options suitable for homeless program participants.
• Create and maintain a housing database linking tenants to apartments.
• Communicate with landlords and familiarize them with the program.
• Work one‑on‑one with landlords to help clients and represent the program.
• Develop support system for clients to achieve and keep permanent housing, involving landlords and services available in the community.
• Coordinate efforts with the Case Management team, supporting case management initiatives for clients served, meeting regularly to stay current with client needs.
• Participate in community engagement and outreach efforts.
• Other duties as required and may be subject to change.

• Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services or related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience (four years).

• One year of experience working with veterans, people in recovery, and/or homeless individuals.

• Bilingual in English and Spanish (written and verbal).
• Experience and familiarity using a HMIS (homeless database).

Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This employer participates in E‑Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form 1‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E‑Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (OHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment.