Office of Housing Stability-NU11-Housing Counselor — File 205033

City of Somerville, Massachusetts Job Description Office of Housing Stability -NU11- Housing Counselor 1 Position Title: Housing Counselor/Case Manager Grade Level: NU11 Department Office of Housing Stability Date: 01/19/2018 Reports to: Director of Housing Stability FLSA Status Exempt Statement of Duties Under the direct supervision of the Director of Housing Stability or their designee, the Housing Counselor/Case Manager will carry out constituent–based functions to assist residents with housing stability. The employee will also facilitate other emergency cases as needed referred by the Mayor’s office or other City Departments, and generally be an information resource to landlords and residents on a variety of issues related to housing issues and where necessary provide referrals for legal advice. Essential Functions: The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.  Assess the needs and status of the at-risk or displaced individual or family in order to determine the housing options and to facilitate access to other needed resources or services, in coordination with other City interdepartmental partners.  Develop relationships and work with community based agencies, property managers, owners and landlords to facilitate housing placement for at-risk and displaced tenants.  Develop relationships and work with staff from other City departments to coordinate housing and services for at-risk or displaced tenants.  Provide information and referral services to City of Somerville residents seeking housing assistance by providing case management services to tenants who are at-risk of losing their housing or have been displaced.  Regularly liaise and participate in case conferencing with Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Coordinated Entry Manager.  Provide information and answer inquiries to landlords and tenants and other constituents concerning many aspects of landlord and tenant relations, including familiarity with tenant and landlord rights.  Provide referrals to contracted providers regarding eviction prevention and assistance.  Maintain client databases to track efforts and outcomes and produce required reports.  Maintain up-to-date information and knowledge regarding tenancy preservation, homelessness prevention and housing placement resources offered by city, state and non- profit agencies.  Performs related work as directed by Director of Housing Stability or their designee. Supervision Required Under general direction, employee plans and prioritizes the majority of work independently, in accordance with standard practices and previous training. Employee is expected to solve most problems of detail or unusual situations by adapting methods or interpreting instructions

City of Somerville, Massachusetts Job Description Office of Housing Stability -NU11- Housing Counselor 2 accordingly. Instructions for new assignments or special projects usually consist of statements of desired objectives, deadlines and priorities. Technical and policy problems or changes in procedures are discussed with supervisor. Work is generally reviewed only for technical adequacy, appropriateness of actions or decisions, and conformance with policy or other requirements; the methods used in arriving at the end result are not usually reviewed in detail. Accountability The nature of the professional or technical work means that errors in analysis, techniques or recommendations would probably be difficult to detect. Consequences of errors, missed deadlines or poor judgment could result in excessive costs, delay of service delivery, or legal repercussions to the municipality. Judgment The work requires examining, analyzing and evaluating facts and circumstances surrounding individual problems, situations or transactions, and determining actions to be taken within the limits of standard or accepted practices. Guidelines include a large body of policies, practices and precedents which may be complex or conflicting, at times. Judgment is used in analyzing specific situations to determine appropriate actions. Employee is expected to weigh efficiency and relative priorities in conjunction with procedural concerns in decision making. Requires understanding, interpreting and applying federal, state and local regulations. Complexity The work consists of the practical application of a variety of concepts, practices and specialized techniques relating to a professional or technical field. Assignments typically involve evaluation and interpretation of factors, conditions or unusual circumstances; inspecting, testing or evaluating compliance with established standards or criteria; gathering, analyzing and evaluating facts or data using specialized fact finding techniques; or determining the methods to accomplish the work. Nature and Purpose of Public Contact Relationships are primarily with co-workers, the public, groups and/or individuals such as civic leaders, peers from other organizations, and representatives of professional organizations. The employee serves as a spokesperson or recognized authority of the organization in matters of substance or considerable importance, including departmental practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines. May be required to discuss controversial matters where tact is required to avoid friction and obtain cooperation. Confidentiality Employee has access to confidential information obtained during the performance of the regular duties of the position. Recommended Minimum Qualifications: Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree and three to five (3-5) years’ experience in supportive housing programs; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required

City of Somerville, Massachusetts Job Description Office of Housing Stability -NU11- Housing Counselor 3 knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Licensed Social Workers (LSW) are strongly encouraged to apply. Special Requirements: Job duties may include attending some evening meetings. Knowledge, Abilities and Skill: Knowledge: Knowledge of and experience with strategies and programs geared toward maintaining and expanding affordable housing opportunities; knowledge of housing income certification process; strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite. Abilities: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to work independently and set priorities. Skills: Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skills in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, database management, internet and spreadsheet applications; strong skills in oral and written communication; excellent customer service skills. Bi-lingual or multilingual ability in Spanish, Portuguese, and/or Haitian-Creole is preferred but not required. Work Environment The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments. Physical and Mental Requirements The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions. Physical Skills Minimal physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. Work requires some agility such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30lbs.). Motor Skills Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers. Visual Skills

City of Somerville, Massachusetts Job Description Office of Housing Stability -NU11- Housing Counselor 4 Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.