Job Announcement

Position will be within the Rental Assistance Division of Fairfax County Department of Housing.

Housing Services Specialist II (HSS II) are responsible for performing initial and ongoing occupancy functions for applicants and participants of DHCD’s federal, state, and local tenant-based and project-based voucher programs. Depending on assignment, these may include but are not limited to Rental Assistance Demonstration Project Based Section 8 Program (RAD PBV), Project Based Section 8 Program (PBV), Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV), Family Unification Program (FUP), Mainstream Voucher Program (MVP), Non-Elderly Disabled Voucher (NED), Veteran's Assistance For Supportive Housing (VASH), Home Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA), Bridging Affordability Program (BA), Emergency Housing Voucher Program (EHV) families with other case work assigned as needed.

Staff in this position interview program applicants and/or participants to determine eligibility, conduct comprehensive housing orientation sessions to counsel and provide advice to clients on federal regulations and other legal issues, coordinate moves with in local jurisdiction and portability requests, initiating and participating in formal and informal hearings, affirmatively furthering fair housing opportunities for clients which includes but is not limited to the reasonable accommodation requests, provide customer service support and assistance to families, landlords, and other public and private agencies in the resolution of housing-related issues, make appropriate referrals and answer general questions related to housing programs and affordable housing opportunities, collaborate to improve or strengthen networks within the county, promote family self-sufficiency and stability, perform data entry, runs reports, ensures accuracy of data, and makes necessary corrections in the database before submitting to HUD, manages timelines and accuracy of caseload for audit purposes, and issues notifications according to state and local laws.

Note: Salary offer will not exceed $36.5114 per hour (midpoint of the range).

The Department of Housing and Community Development is committed to the One Fairfax Policy by intentionally considering equity when making policies, delivering programs and services, considering diverse ideas and perspectives, and communicating with transparency in the decision-making processes. Click here to learn more about the One Fairfax policy.

Illustrative Duties

Provides specialized services in public housing, homeownership, relocation, choice voucher, or rental programs for low and moderate income housing units;
Provides program orientation sessions;
Interviews applicants, evaluates and verifies income to ensure eligibility, selects families for participation in the appropriate program and acts as an advocate for the client;
Determines housing needs, calculates rent and makes appropriate placements in low and moderate income housing;
Assesses family needs, refers to appropriate resources and follows up on delivery of services.
Maintains a specialized caseload of clients that are eligible for applicable housing program under federal, state and local regulations, verifying initial eligibility, recertifying, providing individual counseling and meeting as required;
Applies case management techniques to follow the progression of residents towards self-sufficiency;
Attends hearings/conferences with applicants and clients to discuss eligibility or possible termination from assistance;
Participates in investigations of alleged incidents of program abuse;
Mediates an appropriate solution to mutual concerns of clients and landlords;
When necessary, prepares documentation and testifies at hearings to discuss violations and possible termination of assistance;
Completes and analyzes periodic reports to identify client, program and property needs;
Interprets and applies federal, state and local laws, and rules and regulations pertaining to housing programs;
Ensures fair housing regulations and procedures are followed and requests appropriate reasonable accommodations on behalf of program participants;
Refers clients to Coordinated Services Planning for financial assistance;
Promotes programs to potential clients and landlords.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

General knowledge of the social and economic issues associated with low and moderate income families in relation to housing issues;
Knowledge of the full range of human services facilities and programs available to county residents;
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
Ability to use technology to enter and retrieve information, and create reports;
Ability to be tactful and understanding with clients;
Ability to interpret and apply federal, state and local housing assistance and/or relocation regulations;
Ability to communicate complex federal, state, local and/or relocation information to county residents
Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative working relationships with clients and professionals in the residential, business and human services communities;
Ability to accurately make basic mathematical calculations;
Ability to be tactful and understanding with clients;
Ability to mediate solutions between clients and landlords;
Ability to meet deadlines;
Ability to use current computer applications;

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, psychology, public or business administration, counseling or a related field, plus two years of experience in the field of human services, Choice Voucher, real estate, homeownership, relocation, or property management.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Contingent upon area of assignment, some positions within this class may require certification in one or more of the following:

• Public Housing Manager;
• Housing Choice Voucher Occupancy Public Housing Occupancy Specialist/Senior Specialist;
• Limited Income Housing Tax Credit Housing Credit Certified Professional- Specialist;
• Contingent upon area of assignment may require possession of a valid Motor Vehicle Driver's License;
• For those areas requiring any or all of the above certifications, appointees are required to obtain the required certifications within 18 months from date of hire.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background to the satisfaction of the employer.

All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Three or more years’ experience in delivery of services and implementation of housing programs for residents of low- and moderate-income housing developments, including RAD PBV, PBV, HCV, and/or Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.
• Experience interpreting and administering complex regulations and performing mathematical computations.
• Proven record of achieving excellence in providing services to low- and moderate-income families.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to adhere to strict standards of confidentiality and ethical conduct.
• Experience with Microsoft software and software packages used for implementation of housing programs, such as Yardi, a plus.
• Professional Certification: Public Housing, Rental Assistance Demonstration Project Based Voucher, Project Based Section 8 Voucher, Housing Choice Voucher, Low Income Housing Tax Credit, a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Job is generally sedentary in nature, however, job entails walking, standing, sitting, climbing stairs, reaching and bending; uses hands to grasp, handle, or feel. Visual acuity is required to read data on a computer monitor. Incumbent must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment and computer. Ability to communicate with others verbally and in writing. Employee may be required to lift up to 15 lbs. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.