• Housing Advocate

    Breaking Ground (Jamaica, NY)


    ABOUT US: - We believe that everyone deserves a home!

     

    Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, along with housing in upstate New York and Connecticut. Supportive housing - affordable housing paired with services designed to help people maintain their homes for the long-term - is widely recognized as a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.

     

    But we didn't stop at providing housing. Breaking Ground's programs and services help people experiencing street homelessness - especially those who have been on the streets the longest - to come indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach program and transitional housing resources, we help people get, and stay, on the path to a permanent home.

     

    Housing Advocate

     

    The Housing Advocate works with street homeless c onduct ing street outreach with the objective of engaging individuals to determine their eligibility for Street to Home services and to help secure appropriate housing solutions for all people who ar e street homeless . If chronic, the Housing Advocate will build a relationship with client s utilizing motivational interviewing to encourage the client to work towards permanent housing . If not chronic, Housing Advocate will utilize available resources to secure other housing placements . The Housing Advocate will always work with a partner and will spend most of the shift in an automobile conducting street outreach . The incumbent will respond to 311 calls and community concerns; participate in Code Blue and Code Red alerts; identify new hotspots/encampments and work to eradicate existing hot spots/encampments; conduct a bi-annual vulnerability index on all clients in their catchment area; and enter all required data into outreach database(s).

     

    This position has a 35-hour work week.

    ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

    Engage with all persons on the street who appear homeless

     

    Create and maintain active registry of chronic homeless clients; non-chronic included in registry

     

    Conduct vulnerability assessment

     

    Attend clinical supervision and training

     

    Develop and maintain recordkeeping files and databases, completion of necessary reports and data entry

     

    Communicate with team members through progress notes, program databases, reports, staff meetings, and weekly clinical supervision

     

    Liaison with other service providers on behalf of clients

     

    Collaborate with Parks Dep a rtment , NYPD, DSNY, MTA, and other agencies

     

    Respond to 311 calls

     

    Participate in Code Blue/Red

     

    Monitor encampments

     

    Performs other related duties as assigned

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

    + Two years related work experience

    + Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience

    + Knowledge able about local benefit agencies and f amiliarity with substance abuse, mental health , and employment issues

    + Strong oral and written communication skills

    + Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and electronic record keeping

    + Valid NY, NJ, CT, or PA driver’s license with a good driving record, as defined by Breaking Ground, is a condition of employment

    + Must maintain a good driving record (as defined by the organization) is a condition of employment

    + Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) preferred

     

    EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled

    Job Details

    Pay Type Hourly

    Hiring Min Rate 21.98 USD

     

    Hiring Max Rate 21.98 USD