Salary: $37,084.12 - $46,355.15, annually Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST) FLSA Status: This is a Non-Exempt position. Department: Community Development Location: 1001 Lindsay Street, Chattanooga, TN 34702
SUMMARY: Incumbents in this classification are responsible for facilitating placing homeless individuals and families into housing. By developing relationships with landlords and property management companies, housing navigators will work to be aware of viable using units. Housing navigators will use screening tools to determine fit of participants seeking housing and advocate on their behalf to landlords and property managers. Typical responsibilities include: works closely with prospective property owners and managers to promote permanent housing opportunities for homeless individuals and families; build and maintain relationships with landlords; Networks and collaborates with area Housing Resources and maintains a presence at all meetings; driving to homeless service provider agencies to meet with homeless individuals and families; building a relationship with homeless individuals and families; filling out paperwork with homeless individuals and families; submitting paperwork to correct agency; following up daily with both the homeless individuals and agencies to ensure paperwork is being processed in a timely fashion; attending weekly meetings and making daily reports to Homeless Program Coordinator; coordinating appointments with landlords and driving homeless individuals and families to look at permanent housing. Typical responsibilities include: Collaborating with local service providers; build and maintain relationships with landlords; driving and walking to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas; collect donations of household goods; perform office management such a paperwork and scheduling; driving to homeless service provider agencies to meet with homeless individuals and families; building a relationship with homeless individuals and families; filling out paperwork with homeless individuals and families; submitting paperwork to correct agency; following up daily with both the homeless individuals and agencies to ensure paperwork is being processed in a timely fashion; attending weekly meetings and making daily reports to Homeless Program Coordinator; coordinating appointments with landlords and driving homeless individuals and families to look at permanent housing. This position will transport homeless individuals and families and meeting homeless individuals and families in remote areas of the city. This may involve visiting locations that may feel dangerous, encountering living conditions that many might feel uncomfortable in, and walking, climbing, crawling, etc. to get to locations. This position can be psychologically demanding. Many individuals experiencing homelessness are also experiencing mental health and/or substance abuse issues, which can make communication difficult. This program is committed to housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness as quickly as possible, and providing wrap around services for individuals and families, regardless of current circumstances of the individuals and families.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities.

• Coordinate with area service providers as to the location of homeless individuals and drive personal vehicle and walks out to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas to visit with homeless neighbors. Finds, identifies, and works to establish a relationship with homeless individuals and families on by name lists.
• Mediate with landlords, obtaining utilities and making moving arrangements when indicated.

• Assist clients in their search for housing, filling out rental applications, interpreting leases and understanding tenant rights and responsibilities.

• Maintain Client Records Maintains client related data systems, including case notes and HMIS entries.

• Prepares related reports including but not limited to: outcomes, successes, etc.

• Maintains a relationship with existing property managers/owners and establishes new relationships with those willing to house program\'s clients.

• Works a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the program, staff and clients and to be responsive to changing environmental conditions which may impact homeless people.

• Drives a personal vehicle and walks out to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas to visit with homeless neighbors. Finds, identifies, and works to establish a relationship with homeless individuals and families on by name lists.

• Carry a Caseload of Veterans and other homeless individuals and families while working to place them into housing.

• Delegate tasks from caseload to outreach specialist.

• Through visits with individuals experiencing homelessness, identifies new homeless individuals and families and gathers appropriate information to add them to relevant by name lists.

• Regularly visits homeless service provider agencies to build relationships with agency staff and individuals experiencing homelessness seeking services there, in order to effectively pass on necessary communication to homeless individuals and families on by name lists.

• Researches resources offered locally in order to match homeless individuals and families with appropriate services, agencies, and case management.

• Assesses, performs intakes, and works with people to address barriers to housing, creating individualized case plans to achieve goals; provides follow-up case management.

• Follows up and coordinates with agency staff regularly to ensure individuals and families proceed quickly into permanent housing.

• Coordinates with landlords and drives individuals and families to look at possible housing opportunities in affordable housing units.

• Coordinates and drives personal car to transport individuals and families to necessary appointments that will help facilitate quickly getting individuals and families into housing.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

• Attends weekly housing group meetings to report on progress and be assigned new tasks.

• Reports on progress daily to Homeless Program Coordinator.

• Performs other duties as assigned.
  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor\'s degree in social work or a related field, and one (1) year of social work or human services experience; or any combination of equivalent experience and education.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS: Valid Tennessee Driver\'s License
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: Knowledge of: motivational interviewing and practices; working with persons in crisis situations; local homeless service providers and resources for homeless individuals and families. Skill in: prioritizing work; prioritizing needs of individuals; analyzing basic data and reports; creative problem solving; situational awareness; handling multiple tasks simultaneously; collaborating with external partners; and, excelling in communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, outside agencies, homeless neighbors and others, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction; techniques of Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, or other similar program, to safely interact with people who may be mentally ill, abusing substances, or otherwise confused, aggressive or hostile; leadership to coordinate work amongst other team members. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Ability to work as a team member. Ability to relate well with clients and staff.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Positions in this class typically require: Frequent and some strenuous walking, being outside in all types of conditions, lifting up to 20 lbs.; frequent bending, lifting, kneeling, sitting, crawling, climbing. Walking on uneven surfaces. Expected to work in the outdoors in all weather conditions including rain, heat, cold, humidity. Work is frequently outside of the office and includes frequent travel. May encounter poor living conditions. May encounter some potentially hazardous environments.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Safety Sensitive: Y
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: Y
SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION: All employees must maintain Tennessee residency from the date of hire. This position is child sensitive and therefore requires pre-employment child sensitive background checks and require post-offer drug screening. The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. MW 03/28/23