Case Manager

**Reports to**:Program Manager - _-Housing First_ Program

**Overview**

The _Housing Liaison Worker (HLW)_ is attached to the _Housing First_ program and works closely with the Team Leaders and housing-based case managers within the _Housing & Homelessness Services System - Kingston & Frontenac County. _The primary goal of the _HLW_is to find, secure and maintain a roster of private sector and non-profit landlords who are willing to participate in the _Housing First _program and the on-going building and maintenance of strong relationships with these landlords. The _HLW_ also acts as the primary contact for landlords when a client is no longer has a housing-based case manager to resolve or refer any issues related to maintaining housing.

**Description**

The **Housing Liaison Worker **is responsible for:

- Marketing the _Housing First _program and its related _Rent Assistance _program in the community, targeting property management companies, private and non-profit landlords;
- Identifies the barriers to landlord participation in the program and works to find solutions to eliminate or reduce these barriers;
- Uses the _Homelessness Individual and Family Information System (HIFIS)_ to assess housing outcomes which support the program in identifying appropriate housing options bases on the unique needs of clients;
- Acts a resource to housing-based case managers in the _Housing First _program and their team leaders to ensure accurate use of the HIFIS housing modules required by the Service Manager;
- Meets regularly with the _Housing First_ team leader(s), managers or supervisors for Adult/Family/Youth/Rural _Housing First _programs and their housing case mangers to:

- Update on housing availability, including new, ongoing, and existing landlord units within the program;
- Review any potential or actual landlord issues at the various addresses where _Housing First _client household reside;
- Refer any tenant specific concerns identified by the landlord to the assigned case manager
- Review the characteristics of vacant units that would optimize a positive outcome for each considered housing match;
- Review any up-coming issues related to the damage fund and/or unit inspections.
- Informs all landlords who agree to house clients from the _Housing First_ program of the _Rent Assistance _program and where a landlord agrees to participate, ensures the required documentation is completed and submitted to the Service Manager;
- Works with housing-based case managers and the manager to ensure the required documents for _Rent Assistance_ are completed and reviewed prior to move-in (new or re-location) as per the Service Standard - HF - 14 Rent Assistance program;
- Tracks building saturation levels and informs program staff when saturation levels have been reached as defined by the best practices in “housing first”
- Organizes landlord education as appropriate that promotes “housing first” approaches, sharing landlord/tenant resources as appropriate (e.g. Rights and Responsibilities hand-outs, unit inspection checklists);
- Works with the staff of the City of Kingston’s Housing Department to identify new and creative approaches to housing, based on their understanding of the landlord community and emerging issues and trends;
- Administers the Damage Fund for landlords according to policy and procedures issued by the Service Manager.

**Required skills and Knowledge**
- knowledge of homelessness and affordable housing issues within the community and the strategies to end chronic homelessness which are identified in the City of Kingston’s _10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan_ (Dec 2013);
- all common competencies as listed in Section 4.0
- knowledge of the operating standards for the program and the program’s expected client outcomes;
- ability to translate “housing first” principles in the acquisition of units for the program;
- knowledge of the resources in the community/private sector for individuals, youth and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, living in poverty, or living with mental health or addiction issues and skilled at brokering services for client appropriate to the responsibilities of the job;
- ability to assist in the housing process appropriate to the specific job responsibilities
- ability to integrate harm reduction approaches as appropriate in daily interactions with clients;
- ability to use assertive engagement techniques as appropriate in interactions with the client;
- competence in the administration and interpretation of the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT and full SPDAT) depending on job responsibilities;
- understanding of psycho-social rehabilitation, recovery model motivational interviewing and journey of change and its influence on client outcomes;
- ability to identify and assess risk and implement strategies which minimize risk to self, the client, and others;
- knowledge of and adherence to privacy legislation and polici