Housing Specialist - Outreach, Housing Solutions Center
Full-TimePosted on 10/23/2026
$27.61 - $33.13
Mid, Senior
Bachelor's, Master's
Vancouver, WA, USA
HybridBased in the Vancouver office; in-person for the first 30 days. Hybrid work may be approved afterward, with most workdays in the office or community.
Social & Community ServicesCase Management & Advocacy
About the job
Requirements
At least four years of experience working directly with people who are low income and/or homeless, or equivalent experience.
Experience working with youth and young adults.
Experience working with diverse populations, including people experiencing mental health symptoms and/or substance use.
Commitment to ensuring equitable access to the local homeless crisis response system for all who qualify for assistance.
Experience with public speaking, providing presentations, and facilitating meetings.
Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills.
A valid driver's license and access to an automobile are required.
Strong cultural awareness and humility.
Proficiency with Google Drive and Microsoft Office Suite, with strong computer skills.
Experience with de-escalation and crisis intervention by phone or in person.
Ability to read, speak, write, and understand English to work effectively with staff, community partners, and clients.
Basic data entry and math skills are necessary to input data and generate reports.
Reliable transportation and access to a vehicle to travel around Clark County during workdays are required; staff may not transport clients.
Criminal and driving records satisfactory to VHA/HSC are conditions of employment.
Responsibilities
Maintain flexibility and work collaboratively with a team to ensure people living outside or in systems of care have access to coordinated entry and resource navigation.
Work with the Coordinated Outreach Manager to develop partnerships and referral opportunities for systems of care serving youth and young adults.
Engage with homeless individuals in the community and systems of care to help them access immediate shelter and housing programs and reduce barriers to housing.
Provide diversion coaching and financial assistance as needed.
Connect clients to needed support in a client-centered and proactive manner, as requested and appropriate.
Create, complete, and maintain accurate files and data entry based on funding source requirements.
Meet agency confidentiality requirements.
Meet with clients in the field, at satellite locations, or over the phone, depending on identified needs and ongoing assignments.
Provide outreach services during evenings and at least one weekend day on a regular schedule.
Work with partner agencies and government funders to ensure eligibility determinations are accurate and supporting documents meet program funding requirements.
Establish and maintain productive relationships with colleagues, teams, and partner agencies.
Apply a trauma-informed and equity lens when providing services and communicating with clients, colleagues, and staff.
Comply with position and department safety and attendance standards.
Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.
Establish practices and procedures within HSC guidelines and contribute to developing new concepts.
Conduct client needs assessment, provide program information and referrals, and support education and problem solving.
Travel within the agency's service area to meet clients in the community; mileage is reimbursed under agency policies.
Provide secondary supervision to assigned volunteers and interns within VHA and HSC policy constraints.
Make recommendations regarding long-range operational and strategic planning.
Desired Qualifications
Lived experience as someone who is low income or homeless.
A bachelor's or master's degree in Social Work or a related field.
Ability to write, sign, and/or speak a language other than English that is represented in the diverse community served; Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Chuukese, or American Sign Language skills are helpful.
Supervisory experience.
Experience providing formal assessments.
Identify as a member of a population disproportionately affected by homelessness.
Knowledge of Clark County resources and agencies serving people experiencing homelessness.
Description
The Housing Specialist - Outreach position works with youth and young adults ages 12-24 experiencing homeless and housing instability. This position focuses on youth and young adults living outside or in systems of care, to navigate through the coordinated assessment process from entry to diversion and/or housing placement. Housing Specialist - Outreach also works closely and collaboratively with partner agency outreach teams to understand referral needs and identify those eligible for program.
WORK LOCATION
This position is based in our Vancouver WA office and requires in-person work during the first 30 days of employment. After 30 days, employees may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule based on business needs and manager approval. Employees approved for a hybrid schedule are expected to work the majority of their work week in office or in the community.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives directions from the Housing Solutions Center Coordinated Outreach Manager.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Maintain flexibility and work within a collaborative team to ensure people living outside or in systems of care have access to the coordinated entry and resource navigation.
Work collaboratively with Coordinated Outreach Manager to develop partnerships and referral opportunities for systems of care serving youth and young adults.
Engage with individuals who are homeless in the community and systems of care to place them on the path to immediate shelter and housing programs and reduce their barriers to housing.
Provide diversion coaching and financial assistance, as needed.
Maintain client centered and proactive in all facets of the role connecting clients to needed support, as requested and appropriate.
Create, complete, and maintain accurate files and data entry based on funding source requirements.
Meet all agency confidentiality requirements.
Meet with clients in the field, at satellite locations or over the phone, depending on identified needs and on-going assignments.
Provide outreach services during evening and at least one weekend day based on a regular schedule.
Work collaboratively with partnering agencies and government funders to ensure that all eligibility determinations are accurate and supporting documents satisfy the funding requirements for each program.
Establish and maintain positive, productive relationships with colleagues, teams and partnering agencies.
A willingness to apply a trauma informed and equity lens when providing services, and communicating with clients, colleagues and staff.
Consistently comply with position and department safety and attendance standards.
Strong cultural awareness and humility.
Ability to accept feedback as an opportunity to improve and excel.
Ability to remain empathetic, kind, and nonjudgmental regardless of the situation.
Be a positive, self-motivated individual who has demonstrated the ability to work independently and well with others as a member of various teams.
Willing to work in an environment with constantly changing priorities and roles without losing enthusiasm for the organization mission.
SECONDARY FUNCTIONS
Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.
DEMANDS/COMPLEXITY
The Housing Specialist - Outreach establishes practices and procedures within HSC guidelines and contributes to the development of new concepts. Work situations are frequently new and varied. The workplace environment will include a variety of in-office, outreach, satellite, and remote work from home. The position requires at least 30% of the working hours to be during the evening and on at least one weekend day. Position receives minimal supervision. Incumbents are required to meet established performance standards. Position requires a high degree of complexity, self-direction, customer service skills, strong interpersonal boundaries, self-care practices, and understanding that errors can result in an individual or family being placed in an inappropriate program and prolonging their homelessness. A strong relationship with community partners will be essential for the success of the position.
CONTACTS WITH OTHERS
Contacts are normally made with others both within the HSC offices and outside the agency. They frequently contain confidential/sensitive information always necessitating discretion.
Requirements
SPECIFIC JOB SKILLS
Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required to effectively administer programs and to attract and retain program volunteers. Strong interpersonal skills are required to work with staff and clients from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Knowledge of best practices around coordinated entry/assessments and understanding of Clark County resources for low income and homeless individuals and families is essential for this position. Language (Russian, Ukrainian Spanish, Chuukese, ASL) skills are helpful. Position requires moderate computer and analytical skills to perform job functions.
MENTAL
Constant independent judgment and/or action, organizational skills, customer service, decision-making, and use of discretion are required. Frequent teamwork, problem analysis, training and supervising are required. Occasional creativity and mentoring is required. Incumbent must read, speak, write and understand English to work effectively with staff, community partners, and clients. Basic data entry and math skills are necessary to input data and generate reports necessary to fulfill job functions.
PHYSICAL
Frequent physical activities are standing, walking, talking, sitting, and hearing/listening. Occasional physical activities are grasping, repetitive motions of hands/wrists and handling. Stooping, bending, and reaching are rarely required. This role includes extensive walking, outside work and travel in order to meet clients where they are in the community.
SUPERVISORY PARAMETERS
This position includes secondary supervisory responsibility for assigned volunteers and interns. Supervisory decisions are made within VHA and HSC policy constraints. The position makes recommendations regarding long range operational and strategic planning.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION
At least four years’ experience working directly with people who are low income and/or homeless or equivalent.
Experience in working with youth and young adults.
Experience working with diverse populations, including those who are symptomatic in their mental health and/or substance use.
Commitment to ensuring there is equitable access to the local homeless crisis response system for all who qualify for assistance.
Experience with public speaking, providing presentations and facilitating meetings.
Strong organizational, communication and time management skills.
Valid driver’s license and access to automobile required.
Strong cultural awareness and humility.
Proficient with Google Drive and Microsoft Office Suite, with strong computer skills.
Experience with de-escalation and crisis intervention on the phone or in-person.
PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Lived experience as someone who is low-income or homeless.
Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree in Social Work or related field.
Writes, signs and/or speaks a language(s) other than English that is represented in the diverse community served.
Supervisory experience.
Experience providing formal assessment(s).
Identify as a member of a population(s) disproportionately affected by homelessness.
Knowledge of Clark County resources and agencies that serve people experiencing homelessness.
Candidates from Communities of Color, Veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and those who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community are highly encouraged to apply.
JOB CONDITIONS
Fast-paced office environment with frequent interruptions and occasional urgent situations. Regularly provides support to homeless population in such areas as needs assessment, program information and referral, education and problem solving. Requires reliable transportation and travel within the agency’s service area. Normal working hours are 40 hours a week, with occasional shifts to evening/weekend coverage as determined necessary by Housing Solutions Center.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Criminal and driving records satisfactory to VHA/HSC are conditions of employment. VHA/HSC will make inquiries with the Washington State Patrol (and/or other authorities) regarding these records and considers this information to be a vital aspect of the screening process. Staff in this role must have access to a reliable vehicle to travel around Clark County during workdays. Staff may not transport clients. Mileage is reimbursed based on agency policies.
SALARY DESCRIPTION
Starting salary is $27.61
In compliance with the WA Equal Pay & Opportunities Act, the full salary range for the position is $27.61 to $33.13.
VHA/HSC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability status, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy status, political ideology, honorably discharged veteran, or military status.