Housing Navigator

As a Housing Navigator at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, you will be responsible for outreach to households to gather necessary documentation, facilitating housing applications, and assisting in housing searches and lease-ups. You'll also track and document rental units, ensuring compliance with repairs and inspections while collaborating with other programs to provide comprehensive care for households.

To apply for the Housing Navigator position at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, a bachelor’s degree in a social service-related field is preferred. However, relevant experience can substitute for education. Prior experience working with HUD regulations and individuals experiencing homelessness greatly enhances your suitability for this role.

Housing Navigators at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless enjoy a range of benefits, including health insurance options where employees contribute only 1% of their earnings for HMO coverage, dental and vision insurance, generous paid time off, and a dollar-for-dollar retirement matching plan up to 5% of earnings.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless supports career growth for Housing Navigators through continuous training, regular consultations with leadership on professional development needs, and opportunities to collaborate with various service providers.

Housing Navigators at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless work in a supportive, team-oriented environment where respect, inclusiveness, and cooperation are paramount. Daily tasks involve engaging with households, conducting outreach in the community, and ensuring that everyone feels valued as part of the team.

When discussing your experience with HUD regulations, focus on specific instances where you applied these regulations in previous roles. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you navigated them, emphasizing your understanding of compliance and the importance of these regulations in supporting clients.

When approaching outreach with individuals experiencing homelessness, it's essential to be compassionate and non-judgmental. Share your strategies for building trust, your experience in engaging with vulnerable populations, and how you employ active listening to understand their needs effectively.

In assisting clients with housing applications, I focus on breaking down the application process into manageable steps. I ensure to provide clear guidance and extra support in understanding complex parts of the paperwork, advocating for their needs, and addressing any challenges they may face.

When discussing how you handled a difficult situation with a client, provide a specific example where you remained calm under pressure, communicated effectively, and sought a resolution that met the client's needs while adhering to organizational policies.

To ensure accurate data collection and reporting, I consistently verify the information I gather at every step of the process. I regularly cross-check data with databases like Colorado's HMIS, and I maintain organized records to facilitate easy retrieval and compliance with reporting requirements.

Teamwork is crucial for a Housing Navigator's success. It fosters collaboration and resource-sharing, allowing us to tackle complex cases more effectively. Examples of past teamwork experiences can illustrate how you contributed to a supportive environment that benefited both colleagues and clients.

In handling a rental unit that has failed inspection, I would work quickly to document the failures and communicate with both the landlord and the client to ensure that necessary repairs are scheduled promptly. I would also ensure that the client understands their options and advocate on their behalf.

When answering this question, express your passion for social service and your commitment to preventing homelessness. Refer to specific aspects of the Coalition's mission that resonate with you and share any personal experiences that have shaped your desire to help those in need.

Maintaining a trauma-informed approach requires understanding the impacts of trauma on clients. Share how you create a safe, respectful environment by being mindful of client sensitivities, actively engaging them in decision-making, and supporting their autonomy throughout the process.

I am familiar with tools that are essential for a Housing Navigator, including database systems like HMIS, along with project management solutions such as Microsoft Teams. Discuss how you've used these tools effectively in past roles to improve service delivery and support clients.