Housing Counselor

Making an Impact

Fort Worth Housing Solutions is changing the face of affordable housing by providing mixed-income rental and home ownership opportunities that provide the foundation to improve lives.

What is Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS)?

Fort Worth Housing Solutions manages Housing Choice Vouchers and other rental assistance programs that help families and individuals cover housing costs. FWHS works closely with numerous partners to promote economic independence and positive change in the lives of more than 33,000 individuals every day.

As the Housing Counselor, you will report directly to the Special Programs Manager of Fort Worth Housing Solutions. The Housing Counselor is responsible for qualifying clients for housing assistance relevant to the Housing Assistance Programs including special programs.

In this role, the Housing Counselor’s primary job responsibilities include:

• Interviews participants for re-certifications, explains housing program obligations, verifies information on the re-examination/re-certification forms, and determines continued eligibility of participants.
• Administer homeless programs through the Continuum of Care Housing.
• Facilitate program briefings.
• Attend collaborative meetings with partnering agencies.
• Outreach to chronic homeless.
• Maintain communication with case managers.
• Calculates HAP amounts, tenant rents and utility reimbursements.
• Negotiates repayment agreements for approval by program.
• Issues Housing Choice Vouchers to applicants, families requesting to move or who require a smaller or larger unit.
• Responds to landlord inquiries and/or concerns about specific contracts or the program in general.
• Initiates termination of assistance of families for non-compliance or non-performance, or other grounds in conformance with established FWHS/program policy and procedures.
• Maintains participant and landlord files and documents historical record for each participant file.
• Completes annual re-certifications of participants in conformance with FWHS/program policy.
• Prepares and distributes incoming/outgoing mail and files necessary information into client’s files.
• Provides/performs data entry for all adjustments or changes to participant data.
• Conducts field interviews.
• Counsel’s participants and assists in resolution of problems between owners and participants.
• Prepares monthly reports to advise supervisor of caseload status.
• Ensures assigned caseload completed in a timely manner and balances caseload actions with rent.
• Researches, analyzes, and documents programmatic issues or complaints, and applies proper action to the problem.
• Maintains records and statistics for tracking of program cost, successes.
• Updates and submits files prior to cut-off date to maintain caseload in a current condition
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
  
  
  

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities (Qualifications)

• Working knowledge of grant funding, low-income housing tax credits, project and tenant-based vouchers, homeless programs and resources, and asset management a plus.
• Ability to conduct resident assessments to ascertain information and make the appropriate referrals. Track and monitor resident participation. Provide case management to a minimum of twenty (20) clients. Communicate effectively, oral and written. Prepare required reports. Maintain effective working relationships with clients and providers.
• Ability to prepare and present ideas in English, in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screening and criminal background check.
  
  
  

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Public Administration, or related field, plus two (2) years’ experience in position with a public agency, social service agency: OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must possess a current Texas Driver’s License, have a driving record in good standing, and be eligible for coverage under FWHS’s fleet vehicle insurance policy.