HIFA Housing Navigator (141 views)

Under the supervision of the Manager of Housing Search Services and as a key component in the Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS (HIFA) grant, the Housing Navigator works with HIV+ clients, intake staff, medical case managers, medical providers, landlords, housing authorities and property managers to provide intensive and comprehensive housing search and housing advocacy services to people living with HIV who are not well connected to medical care and are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS (HIFA) is a competitive Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) award through HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development). Fenway is one of 18 sites nationwide to be awarded HIFA funds. Through this project, sites will create a continuum of services with a focus on housing stability and demonstrate the connection between housing stability and health outcomes. This grant is time limited and ends on June 30, 2025. We seek candidates who are committed to remaining with the project through that date.  

Representative Duties:

1. Work with a caseload of 25-30 clients who are currently experiencing homelessness or housing instability and who are newly diagnosed with HIV and/or not well connected to HIV medical care. Work with clients to determine appropriate housing possibilities and create an individualized housing service plan including short- and long-term goals associated with stable, affordable housing. Work with clients to set priorities and take steps toward reaching these goals.
2. Contribute to the continuum of services by working collaboratively. Build connections between Linkage to Care services, Medical Case Managers, and Housing teams to arrange appointments, coordinate care, and to gather documentation necessary to housing search process.  
3. Complete initial assessment of housing search needs, resources, barriers and goals for all new clients. Complete reassessment and revise Individual Service Plan every six months.
4. Attend all housing related appointments with clients, including interviews, appeal hearings, apartment viewings and lease signings.
5. Work with clients to identify possible barriers to obtaining housing. Discuss criminal, credit and eviction histories. Request CORI and credit reports with all clients willing to do so. Proactively plan strategies to appeal housing denials and present mitigating factors. Work collaboratively with Fenway’s Legal Department to support clients.
6. Work with clients to access short-term rental and utility assistance through our internal Rental Assistance Programs and through external resources. Work with clients to determine eligibility for these resources, complete the application process including all documentation, and serve as a liaison for the client with property owners/managers and rental assistance programs.
7. Provide utilities advocacy and assist eligible clients in accessing discount rate, payment plan, shutoff protection, fuel assistance.
8. Work with clients on all stages of leasing up and moving into a new home, including coordination of movers, furniture bank appointments, provision of household goods, establishing utilities and orientation to their new tenancy and space. 
9. Serve as a resource on affordable housing for colleagues. With the goal of coordinating services and creating a continuum of care, provide housing information to colleagues, keep others in the client’s care team updated on progress and challenges, and strategize coordinated approaches to care. As this project grows, work in a similar manner with external colleagues.   
10. Maintain communications with housing authorities, landlords and private management companies responsible for administering affordable housing options. Contact these providers on a regular basis to remain informed of available housing, open waiting lists, eligibility requirements and application processes. Share updated housing resource information with the team.
11. Maintain timely and accurate records of all client interactions. Enter all client interactions into the electronic medical records database with five days. Maintain electronic files for each client in accordance with program standards. Demonstrate commitment to comprehensive data entry and work with program leadership to track client and program outcomes.
12. Attend meetings and trainings, and come prepared to contribute to the conversation: weekly supervision and team meeting, monthly training, all staff, clinical supervision and data meetings, and quarterly division meetings.
13. Meet agency participatory expectations
14. Perform related duties and projects as assigned

Requirements

• Minimum two years of experience in a related field.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Working knowledge of HIV/AIDS community trends, harm reduction, trauma informed care principles, motivational interviewing and at-risk populations (including people who use and inject drugs, formerly incarcerated people, and people engaged in transactional sex work).
• Ability to work harmoniously and effectively with colleagues, patients, clients and vendors across the spectrum of diversity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, national origin and immigrant status, religious or spiritual identity, disability (physical, mental, emotional and developmental), veteran status, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Willingness to contribute towards Fenway’s efforts in becoming an anti-racist organization and promoting a culture dedicated to ongoing development in service of humility, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, where differences are acknowledged and valued.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with affordable housing.
• Strong orientation to Harm Reduction; experience working within the Harm Reduction framework
• Experience with the provision of HIV services.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English.
• Experience advocating for clients with government assistance agencies, housing authorities, private landlords or realtors. 
• Experience using an electronic medical record or similar database to track client work.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to meet the following physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodations:

• Sit at a computer station for extended periods of time
• Ability to keyboard for extended periods of time

We offer competitive salaries, and for those who qualify, an excellent benefits package; including comprehensive medical and dental insurance plans, and a retirement plan with employer match. We also provide 12 paid holidays, paid vacation, and more. LGBTQIA+ identified persons, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), and individuals from other historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply Highly experienced individuals may be compensated at a higher rate.