Occupancy Specialist

Occupancy Specialist

Current employee: Open

Reports to: Deputy Director

Effective date: 5/1/2021

Position end date:  August 31, 2022

Position type: Temporary

Salary: $28,000-$35,000 / year and benefits negotiable DOE

Primary purpose:

Conduct and schedule inspections in accordance to UPCS-V protocol.  Position provides advanced level of office support, customer service, records management, ensures accurate and timely reviews of participants; determines income eligibility and housing assistance; and informs clients of program standards, codes, and regulations. 

Essential Functions:

• Provides office support via report development, EIV, packet preparation, letter generation, message retrieval, document processing, and appointment scheduling.
• Provides customer service and requires knowledge of Section 8 and HOME grant programs. GPHA requires a high level of customer service skills and communication to ensure proper information flow.
• Maintains client confidentiality and safeguards client information.
• Continuing education regarding software, HUD regulations, government programs, and technology. Assists in processing housing assistance applicants, determines eligibility, enters data into system, and generates correspondence with applicants.
• Reviews and processes HOME grant applications.
• Inspect units at the time of initial lease-up, annual reviews, moves, and HOME grant applications using the inspection guidelines.  Schedule inspections in a timely manner necessitated by HUD regulations and prepare appointment notification. Certify unit is compliant with inspection standards; fail unit, inform landlord of issues and advise re-inspection schedule and consequences.
• Conducts client interviews for initial, interim, and annual examinations to determine eligibility, verify information, inspect units, enter information in software, and inform parties of the results.
• Investigate clients of possible fraud in the areas of household composition and income, solicit proper verification, determine HAP overpayment, conduct case conference with client, and prepare repayment agreements.
• Execute housing assistance payment contracts with owner; negotiates leases/terms between the tenant and the property owner for rent reasonableness; negotiate annual rent adjustments with owner/manager.
• Process interim income changes and post adjustments to software.
• Carries out Section 8 Housing Assistance Program rules and regulations; interprets HUD rules; assess information from various HUD handbooks.
• Completes other duties assigned by the Deputy Director, Executive Director or Board of Commissioners.
• Travel is required.  Position may assist in rural coverage.

Education:

Position requires an associate degree in a job-related field or related experience, valid North Dakota driver’s license, current vehicle insurance, and willing to travel within the region.

Skills:

Position requires PC computer skills, Windows, Microsoft Office software, browser software, accounting, faxing, organization, iPad experience and customer service.  Employee must be comfortable entering residences and conducting inspections.

Preferred experience:

Person has previous housing authority experience and experience dealing with the public, and government policies and procedures. Employer prefers two years or more related office support experience.