Housing Specialist, Special Programs

GENERAL SUMMARY The duties of this position include a wide range of activities related to determining and documenting participant eligibility, income, rent and contractual relationships with owners in support of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) operations. The Housing Specialist may perform admissions, re-certifications, interim adjustments, rent increases and deal with both participant and landlord problems. Reports to the Team Leader. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Admissions Conduct eligibility interviews with applicant and port-in families. Conduct interviews in the client’s home or field office as needed. Conduct criminal history check on all adult members of applicant families. Determine eligibility of applicants from the waiting list, special admissions and port-ins. Inform ineligible families of informal meeting procedures. Document family composition, citizenship or eligible immigrant status and social security numbers of family members over age six (or certification that no number exists) in accordance with HUD requirements. Determine Annual Income in accordance with HUD rules. Obtain Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) or third party verification of income (or documentation of why third party verifications are not present). Calculate Adjusted Income correctly in accordance with HUD rules. Obtain third party verification of deductions (or documentation of why third party verifications are not present). Calculate Total Tenant Payment (TTP) accurately. Determine the Voucher size for which each family qualifies in accordance with the Administrative Plan. Issue Vouchers and brief Voucher-holders, emphasizing housing opportunities outside areas of minority and low income concentration. Set-up complete and accurate files with all necessary participant-supplied documents and third party verifications (or documentation of why third party verifications are not present). Receive Requests for Tenancy Approval, HAP contracts (with HUD-required Tenancy Addendum) Inspection reports, rent reasonableness determinations and leases. Check to ensure that no participants will be paying more than 40 percent of adjusted monthly income in TTP, review for original signatures and internal consistency (particularly with respect to who pays for various utilities), place in participant files and authorize HAP payments to owner. Enter correct information and forward accurate and timely 50058 form to Team Leader for submission to HUD. HUD Annual Re- certifications, Interim Adjustments and Owner Rent Increases Request Inspectors to schedule and conduct annual and special inspections. Schedule and conduct annual re-certification interviews in a manner that ensure that notices of rent increase are provided at least 30 days before the anniversary date and the entire process is completed by the anniversary date. Determine whether the participant family qualifies for a different unit/Voucher size than previously, issue new…