APPLICANT MUST BE PERMANENT IN CIVIL SERVICE TITLE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST (ABOS)

The Homelessness Prevention Administration (HPA) was established in 2014 and has since played an essential role in the City’s overall eviction and homelessness prevention efforts to combat housing instability to help New Yorkers stay housed. HPA Office of Prevention and Housing Assistance (PHA) is primarily responsible for administration of the CityFHEPS rental subsidy program, the contracted in-community Homebase eviction prevention program and for new developments and an expanding continuum of homelessness prevention programing and contracts. PHA is currently comprised of the following units -The Rental Assistance Programs (RAP), the HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (HOME TBRA), and the Office of Prevention and Community Support (PCS) and its expanding unit for Contracts (Homebase, Phase I,2,3-Cluster/Master Lease, City Council Discretionary Awards and Special Housing Assistance Resource (SHARE).

The Prevention and Housing Assistance-Rental Assistance Program (PHA-RAP) is recruiting for one (1) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist IIs to function as the RAP Team Leaders, who will:

- Approve eligibility for tenant or landlord, approve check request for brokers and landlord payments for Rental Assistance Subsidy Programs; troubleshoot issues made by tenants, landlord, lawyer, advocate, legal aid via a review conference to achieve resolutions; address request for information and services from RAP landlords, tenants, and community advocates.

- Ensure that Rental Assistance Unit Subsidy Program payments to landlords /brokers are executed timely and ensure the annual renewal of RAP subsidies. Approve modification made by the tenants for their CityFHEPS Rental Assistance Supplement Amount; review and approve the data entries of tenant information for federal funds into federal databases; utilize other databases such as Housing Assistance Payment Systems (HAPS), HRA One Viewer, WMS, Finance.net, IQ System and SAVE.

- Recommend new subsidy certificates for tenants who wish to submit a transfer request via email for issues with landlord, inhabitable apartments, etc., address requests for information and services from RAP landlords, tenants, and community advocates; supervise BOS workers who interview applicants and assess eligibility for immediate rent / public assistance. Prepare daily and weekly statistical reports on work performed as well as monthly audits. Assist with case consultation on individual cases and guidance on difficult cases in the case planning process as necessary.

- Supervise or staff that corresponds with homebound / homeless clients to ensure they provide quick services, take appropriate action on reported provided documentation and maintain contact with other teams to ensure awareness activities that affect the case management plan. Assist in the development of anti-eviction/housing plan of intervention for referred participants.

ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY - 56316

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing either:
a) client services.
b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming.

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or

3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above.

4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing social/human services work as described in one (1) above

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.