Bilingual (English/Spanish) MHT Housing Specialist

Path Home empowers families with children to get back into housing and to stay there. Our programs work: 87% of families keep their housing long term. Programs include Outreach, Family Village Shelter, Rapid Re-Housing, Prevention, and Basic Income Guarantee. Annually, Path Home provides culturally competent, trauma-informed services to more than 550 families. 

Path Home believes that intentional, systematic racism and oppression are primary causes of homelessness, and we are working to dismantle systems of oppression within our own organization and the community as a whole. We serve a very diverse group of families, and our goal is to have a staff that reflects the diversity of our families.

Organization: Path Home  

Job Title: Bilingual (English/Spanish) MHT Housing Specialist 

Reports to: Housing Program Manager  

Job Specifics: Full time, salaried  

Compensation: $54,000 annually or $56,000 annually if bilingual in English and Spanish

Benefits: Full health & vision insurance (Providence) and  dental insurance (Moda). Option to add family at employee's pre-tax expense. Path Home will contribute an amount equal to 2% of the employee's total annual salary into a Simple IRA.  

Paid Time Off: Three weeks of Paid Time Off (120 hours) plus one week of paid sick time (40 hours) annually. Path Home also recognizes 11 paid holidays throughout the year.

Close date: Open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Path Home values diversity in its workforce and is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for this position including people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, people with lived experience, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people with criminal backgrounds.

Overview: 

Path Home is hiring a Housing Specialist to work with families referred through Multnomah County’s Coordinated Access System. In this role, you will engage with families experiencing homelessness in a strengths-based, client-centered, and trauma-informed manner. Building and maintaining trust-based relationships with families is a key aspect of this position. Your primary responsibilities include assisting families in finding housing, providing rental assistance and case management, and supporting their transition to stability.

As a member of the Path Home Housing team, you will collaborate closely with other Housing Specialists and the Homeless Family System of Care—a City and County partnership that works with various social service agencies to help families access shelter, housing, and resources. The role involves fieldwork with families, requiring familiarity with Portland’s geography. While general business hours are maintained, occasional evenings or weekends may be necessary to meet client needs.

Specific Job Duties:

• Provide support to 20 families and promote transition into stable housing by supporting access to needed services and housing opportunities.
• Provide case management and housing assistance for families to support them in achieving their goals.
• Provide ongoing support to promote stabilization for up to 30 families for at least 12 months after move-in. This includes visiting families in their homes, ongoing assessments of needs, and follow-ups. Caseload sizes fluctuate depending on various factors. 
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with landlords, community agencies, social service agencies, businesses, and neighborhood organizations. Work with area landlords to ensure and expand housing options for families experiencing homelessness.
• Provide transportation in your own vehicle for families to appointments and other housing-related needs.
• Coordinate with families to move into and out of housing and living situations.
• Maintain timely and accurate records on services provided. Record data in the Path Home database and in WellSky HMIS.
• Record and keep track of all expenses that are spent on behalf of clients; report these expenses twice monthly to the Path Home Finance team.
• Work effectively with a diverse team of Path Home’s staff.
• Participate in team building, staff meetings, and organizational functions.

Skills and Abilities:

• Experience working with individuals or families experiencing homelessness; outreach and local Portland social service knowledge including housing, schools, behavioral health, childcare, and other community resources is a plus.
• Experience working in a setting that promotes a Housing First approach, Rapid Re-housing, strengths-based practices, Assertive Engagement, Trauma-Informed Care, and client-centered services.
• An understanding of the effects of trauma and how trauma can impact homelessness and poverty.
• Demonstrated success in building relationships with individuals and communities of diverse ethnicities, cultures, abilities, faiths, and economic backgrounds.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Be compassionate and non-judgmental in responding to families in need.
• Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries with all households.
• Fluency in English and Spanish preferred.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with clients and staff with a particular focus on verbal and written communication.
• Familiarity with computers and mobile devices is required. The Housing Team frequently uses mobile technology to access email, voicemail, texts, and documents stored in a cloud-based system while in the field meeting with families and partners.
• Be flexible in work routine and approach to daily schedule.
• Be comfortable working directly with clients as well as collaborating with and inviting input from other staff and partners.
• Because of the mobile nature of this job, the MHT Housing Specialist is required to have a personal vehicle, valid driver’s license, and insurable driving record upon hire. Path Home reimburses for mileage at the standard IRS rate.