Description

The Housing Navigator assists and advocates on behalf of clients/guests/members to locate, secure, and retain affordable permanent housing. The CS Housing Navigator plans and coordinates services, identifies appropriate housing options, and interacts with landlords and other organizations on behalf of participants.

Who you are:

•  Someone who recognizes the value of other people regardless of their choices.
•  Attentive with a listening ear and desire to give respect and time to our clients and guests.
•  A good example of who Christ is and willing to share how He saved you from yourself.
•  Dependable and trustworthy with sensitive and personal information.
•  Fair in situations and able to determine what is just and equitable in difficult situations.
•  Gentle in character and able to be calm and tender when others are challenging.
•  Generous in heart, empathy, patient, and humble.
•  Someone who brings excellence to everything you do.
•  Able to work in a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.
•  Great at time management.

What you’ll do (just the basics):

•  Conducting a tenant screening and housing assessment that identifies the member’s preferences and barriers related to successful tenancy.
•  Developing an individualized housing support plan based upon the housing assessment that addresses identified barriers.
•  Searching for housing and presenting options.
•  Assisting in securing housing, including the completion of housing applications and securing required documentation.
•  Provide guidance, resources, and referrals as necessary to clients/guests/members. 
•  Landlord education and engagement.
•  Assisting with benefits advocacy, including assistance with obtaining identification and documentation for SSI eligibility and supporting the SSI application process.
•  Identifying and securing available resources to assist with subsidizing rent (such as HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), or state and local assistance programs) and matching available rental subsidy resources to clients/guests/members.
•  Identifying and securing resources to cover expenses, such as security deposit, moving costs, adaptive aids, environmental modifications, moving costs, and other one-time expenses.
•  Communicating and advocating on behalf of the clients/guests/members with landlords.
•  Assisting in arranging for and supporting the details of the move.
•  Establishing procedures and contacts to retain housing, including developing a housing support crisis plan.

Bonus Points:

•  You have the flexibility to adapt to changes and take on new responsibilities as the organization grows.
•  Puedes hablar, leer y escribir en espanol. 
•  You’re excited to work in a fun fast-paced atmosphere where everyone takes the mission seriously, but no one takes themselves too seriously.

Education/Experience:

• An AA or higher in the areas of Drug and Alcohol, Social Work, Human Services or related field.
• At least 1 year serving the populations that the Fresno mission serves.

Requirements

A mature walk with Jesus Christ and able to articulate Biblical beliefs and their application within the context of the Fresno Mission. All employees of Fresno Mission are an integral part of the outreach ministry of a non-denominational, evangelical ministry sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ through transformational programs that provide food, shelter, clothing, education, job training and renewal of families to the poor and addicted. All employees are Christian missionaries and are required from time to time to participate in chapel services, outreach ministries, Bible studies and prayer times. Due to the nature of these types of ministries, it is an absolute necessity that each employee possesses and maintain a Christian testimony of their faith and experience in Jesus. Must be in agreement with the Statement of Faith of the Fresno Mission