RESOURCE SPECIALIST

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is comprised of 2,000 employees and with an annual operating budget of over $1 billion is one of the largest organizations of its kind committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City. Collaborating with other public agencies and not-for-profit partners, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it occurs, reduce street homelessness, and assist New Yorkers to transition from shelter into appropriate permanent housing. DHS is responsible for management of over 200 facilities, which mainly are individual and family shelters used as overnight residences for over 38,000 adults and children. DHS’s portfolio covers approximately 4M square feet.

The Division of Shelter Intake is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the agency’s Single Adult, Adult Families and Families with Children’s intake and assessment sites, both directly run and contracted providers. This Division is responsible for ensuring that the City’s most vulnerable population can access shelter, per eligibility criteria, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The Department of Homeless Services is recruiting for one (1) Community Coordinator to serve as Resource Specialist, who will:

• Cultivate relationships across diverse communities to provide new opportunities for clients and community based homeless population regarding housing alternatives to shelter. Provide information about these opportunities to staff and support community partners as they provide these opportunities to the homeless population.
• Conduct outreach, interviews, recruitment and screening for housing alternatives to shelter with primary tenants, landlords, building superintendent, neighbors, other city agencies, institutional settings, private entities, and any other collateral sources of information to obtain relevant information in connection with determining the applicant’s viability for housing within the community.
• Canvas community and engage with community based homeless population to provide DHS shelter referrals and educate about housing options or other resources available in the community through mediation, referrals, meetings, and other methods.
• Gather all applicant information including housing history and income. Review and verify documents provided by the applicant. Perform screening interviews for the single adult applicants. Follow-up with applicant’s past housing resources to determine whether applicant can return to the community. Make an initial recommendation on applicant’s alternatives to shelter based on a total assessment of the individual’s situation.
• Conduct field work, including interviews and meetings with primary tenants, landlords, building superintendent, and neighbors.
• Perform all other necessary screenings of applicants who have housing options or other resources available in the community. Provide an initial assessment of applicant’s psychiatric and substance abuse history and work with a Behavior Health Specialist as needed.
  
  

Work Location: 400-430 E. 30TH Street, New York, NY

Hours/Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday 9am to 5pm (RDO Sun, Mon)

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
• High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.
  
  

Preferred Skills

• Excellent writing and communication. - Computer skills. - Proficiency with CARES.
  
  

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

, $60,889.00 – $70,022.00