Housing Occupancy Specialist

Job Overview

Location/Schedule: This position is based at the Lloyd Corporate Plaza, located in NE Portland, OR. The schedule for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Position: Housing Occupancy Specialist

Program: Housing

Cascadia’s Mission and Vision:  

Mission: Cascadia Health delivers whole health care – integrated mental health and addiction services, primary care, and housing – to promote hope and support the well-being of the communities we serve. 

Vision: We envision a community where everyone benefits from whole health care, experiences well-being, and has a self-directed, connected life. 

Position Description: The Housing Occupancy Specialist performs various administrative tasks and/or supportive tasks involving the initial phases of qualifying applicants for rental of housing owned and/or managed by Cascadia. The Housing Occupancy Specialist functions as the organization’s “rental agent” by assisting potential tenants in completing initial rental documents, such as the application and other pre-qualifying materials and managing the documentation process until it is appropriate to release it to the Housing Compliance Specialist.

The Housing Occupancy Specialist is the first point of contact for potential tenants and, as such, is the first impression tenants or their case workers will have of Cascadia Housing.

Essential Responsibilities 

This position description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position.  Management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties as necessary.   

Occupancy 

Maintain all property waiting lists according to HUD and other funder regulations while serving the mission of Cascadia Housing. Maintain the waitlist call line (according to internal policies) by returning calls in a timely manner and responding appropriately to applicants or their representatives. Follow internal waitlist policies and procedures to fill vacant units in a timely manner, not to exceed 30 days from the date of vacancy. Track current vacancies and 30 day vacancy deadlines. Notify the Manager, Housing Compliance in advance of the 30 day deadline if move in goals are not met. Keep detailed notes with supporting documentation related to vacancies not being filled by the deadline, for reporting purposes.  Actively market vacant or soon to be vacant units to potential tenants or sources of referral according to internal policy and procedures or by the direction of your supervisor. Initiate background screening for all potential tenants. Schedule first intake with the applicant according to internal policy and procedures. Process paperwork required for eligibility determination. Submit applicant file containing proper move-in paperwork (according to internal policy and procedures) to the Compliance Specialist or supervisor for approval. Follow up on all documents, clarifications and corrections to the applicant file as directed by the Compliance Specialist or supervisor. Schedule unit inspections when unit is rent ready.  Process lease documents and schedule move-in date with applicant and applicable housing staff. 

Compliance 

Adhere to federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations as they pertain to affordable housing programs compliance with particular emphasis on tenant selection requirements and Fair Housing issues. Stay current regarding changes to federal, state, or local rules and regulations which impact the tenant selection and screening process. Communicate to the Manager, Housing Compliance known program or regulatory changes to policy and/or procedure that seem imminent. Adhere to mandatory abuse reporting laws and HIPAA requirements. Assist in the preparation for agency audits, inspections, and reviews, as delegated by the Manager, Housing Compliance. Perform administrative and technical tasks relevant to the program’s operations (data entry, filing, faxing, copying, scanning, etc.). Maintain flexibility in scheduling time to meet with staff or clients (whether in person or via telephone). Complete annual employee training requirements on a timely basis as defined by the agency and program. Participate in the development of policies, procedures, and basic performance standards. Attend and participates in all meetings as assigned. Assist and support other areas within the housing team. Perform other job- related duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

Education: 

High school diploma or equivalent.  Post high school education may substitute for general experience on a year-for-year basis. 

Experience:

One year of experience as an Occupancy Specialist or working in affordable housing compliance, or; One year of experience in property management of affordable housing. Prior experience working with individuals with a mental health diagnosis and or having personal lived experience is also preferred. 

Specialized Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

Operate computer hardware at a level needed to effectively perform job functions  Knowledge in a Property Management or Compliance software is preferred Microsoft office suite Enter and retrieve data to prepare simple reports 

Other: 

Possess a valid driver’s license, three year driving history, ability to pass Driver Motor Vehicle (DMV) check and complete the Cascadia online Defensive Driving course. 

Working Conditions

The job is performed both at Cascadia’s administrative building as well as on site at various Cascadia properties. Employee may be out stationed at various Cascadia or community organization offices for a small period of time per week. Evening and weekend work may occasionally be required. The Housing Occupancy Specialist must be able to work with a diverse group of people, including occasional work with tenants who may appear disorganized in thought, disheveled and/or speak in a loud or abusive manner and needs to be aware of tenant behaviors and communicate and respond to them in an appropriate manner. 

Daily routines may be unpredictable and will likely require the Housing Occupancy Specialist to perform a variety of the site’s functions, depending on need. Meal periods and breaks may be subject to interruption.  

Mental Demands: The work assigned is diverse and involves addressing new and unusual circumstances in which outcomes may negatively affect costs, employee morale or clients. The work regularly involves a degree of unpredictability and disruption of planned tasks requiring a flexible time management approach.  

Physical Demands: Employee must be able to physically access a variety of building types including multi-story walk-ups, buildings with elevators, garden apartments, row houses and 2 story detached homes.

Cascadia is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, contact us at 503-963-7654. 

Benefits

We offer generous benefits for our full-time and part-time employees (20 hours + pro-rated) including:

Generous Paid Time Off Package Full-time employees earn 6 weeks of PTO in their first year!Medical and Dental Coverage (begins 1st of the month following 30 days after hire date)VSP Vision Discount Plan403(B) Retirement Savings (Pre and post-tax plans with up to 8% employer matching contribution!)Flexible Spending Account (FSA) (Medical, dependent care, and transportation options)Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life InsurancePaid Bereavement and Jury Duty LeaveLength of Service AwardVoluntary Life InsuranceSupplemental InsuranceStudent loan forgiveness options

Wellness Benefits:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)Bicycle ReimbursementDiscounted Fitness MembershipsTrauma Support Team

Starting Rate Range in USD ($)

21.26

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21.9