Housing Specialist

Come work for the beautiful City of Redondo Beach located in Los Angeles County in the South Bay region known for its scenic beaches, relaxed seaside atmosphere, and vibrant waterfront as part of our Housing Authority Division of the Community Services Department.

The Redondo Beach Housing Authority administers the Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program. It also manages specialized programs such as Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), Project-Based Vouchers, and Foster Youth for Independence (FYI) programs that are funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is a branch of the federal government.

MISSION STATEMENT

To enrich and improve the quality of life in Redondo Beach by providing excellent programs, opportunities, services, and facilities that meet the needs of the community.

This position under the direction of the Community Services Director, performs paraprofessional duties related to the City's Housing Program. This is an in-person job opportunity, with great benefits and a 9/80 work schedule with a paid extended holiday closure between Christmas and New Years Day. If you are looking for a great opportunity to serve a diverse, exciting community, we invite you to apply now! This post will remain open until April 17th or until 50 applications are received, whichever occurs first.Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

The position performs a wide variety of duties related to the City's Housing Program, in compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations and policies. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Conducting initial, interim, and annual interviews of program applicants and current participants
• Determining tenant eligibility by utilizing established policies and procedures, and by evaluating information, documents, and data from numerous sources
• Negotiating rents with landlords, and determining proper contributions
• Inspecting residential rental properties for inclusion in the program
• Conducting applicant briefing sessions, including explaining all program rules, regulations, policies and procedures
• Managing a caseload and performing related tasks such as responding to tenant inquiries and problems, counseling tenants, mediating disputes between tenants and landlords; investigating program abuse, preparing termination letters, and representing the Housing Authority at tenant termination hearings
• Counseling owners on program regulations, responding to their inquiries, and assisting with problems
• Assist with the process of creating housing assistance payments
• Process incoming and outgoing portable files
• Process repayment agreements in accordance with established policies
• Utilize the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system
• Assist with the management of the Section 8 waiting list
• Communicating clearly and concisely both orally and in writing with the public and fellow employees
• Working irregular hours including evenings nights, weekends and holidays (when necessary); being available for call-back and automatic return to work with a reasonable response time during off-duty hours for major emergencies, disasters, critical incidents
• Delivering outstanding internal and external customer service; communicating effectively orally and in writing with the public and fellow employees; solving problems and supporting the City's mission, policies, goals, and objectives.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and working cooperatively with co-workers, other members of the supervisory/management team, City staff, other agencies, and the community
• Providing initiative in achieving positive and timely results for the organization
• Exercising tact, self-restraint and good judgment; taking initiative to achieve positive, timely results for the organization with diplomatic skills and ethical conduct; conducting duties, responsibilities, tasks and assignments with a constructive, cooperative, positive, and professional attitude and demeanor
• Supporting the City's values of: openness and honesty; integrity and ethics; accountability; outstanding customer service; teamwork; excellence; fiscal and environmental responsibility
• Performing other related duties as assigned

The position requires a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and of local fair housing laws.

The position requires computer literacy with the ability to effectively use Microsoft Office and to learn additional software programs, including the City's Section 8 software program.

The position requires an understanding and adherence to City policies for information technology.

The position requires the ability to effectively conduct client interviews; to properly evaluate oral and written information; to correctly interpret and apply a variety of rules and regulations; to work independently with minimal supervision; to manage a heavy and complex caseload, to identify and detect program fraud; to investigate and resolve a variety of disputes; to make accurate mathematical computations; to maintain accurate and thorough records; to effectively organize files; to understand and follow oral and written instructions; to speak and write in a clear and concise manner; to establish and maintain successful work relationships with a wide variety of individuals and groups; to interact effectively with a clients from a broad spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds; to conduct housing inspections in accordance with program regulations and City codes.

The position's expected competencies are sound decision making skills; critical thinking ability; problem solving and innovation skills; drive for results; analytic skills; interpersonal, customer service, and diplomatic skills; ethical conduct.

The position requires six months recent experience working with the Section 8 Voucher Program in a Housing Authority, including experience interviewing program participants, calculating tenant and Housing Assistance Payment rents, and performing related duties.

The position requires possession of a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent and a minimum age of 18 years at the time of appointment.

Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License by time of appointment.

Qualified Military Veterans are given an additional five points to a passing score for both open-competitive and promotional recruitments.

Job description statements describe the general nature and levels of work performed by employees and are not intended as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

The selection process may include but is not limited to: Application review and evaluation, written examination, performance test and interview. All employment offers made by the City are contingent upon establishing proof of a prospective candidate's legal authorization to work in the United States and successfully passing all components of the pre-employment process. The pre-employment process may include but not be limited to: Reference checks, background investigation, fingerprint-based criminal history check, credit check, degree verification, and post-offer medical examination and drug test. For public safety positions, including positions based in the Police and/or Fire Department(s), the pre-employment process may also include but not be limited to a P.O.S.T. compliant background check, polygraph examination, post-offer medical examination and drug test, and post-offer psychological examination.

Candidates must fill out the employment application and supplemental questions completely and accurately. Required fields and supplemental questions are noted with an asterisk (*). All other fields are optional. Applications including references to "see resume" are considered incomplete and will be disqualified.

The City of Redondo Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Candidates with a disability who may need accommodation during the selection process must notify the Human Resources Department at least five (5) business days in advance of the test date.

Qualified Military Veterans are given an additional five points to a passing score for both open-competitive and promotional recruitments. Documentation of such service, such as a veteran identification card or DD214, must be provided along with the application for employment or before the conclusion of the testing process.

Note: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.