Landlord Engagement Specialist

Job description

Why work with YWCA Seattle King Snohomish? YWCA SKS is the region’s largest non-profit organization with a 120+ year legacy, focused on the needs of women, with programs serving 7,000 people each year. When you work with YWCA, you make a difference. We’re women and BIPOC-led, family-centered, and supportive of employees. As a full-time YWCA employee (30+ hours), you’ll enjoy a benefits package including medical insurance, generous vacation, holiday, sick leave plans, and an outstanding retirement plan. Put your passion for racial equity and social justice to work – **apply today!** **What You'll Do** The Edmonds New Start Center (EDNSC) is a new 24/7 Emergency Housing facility operated by the YWCA of Seattle, King, and Snohomish County, located in Edmonds, WA. The center provides safe, supportive housing for up to 45 individuals who are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Clients have access to a range of on-site services, including case management, life skills training, and connections to healthcare and employment resources, all designed to support their journey toward stability and self-sufficiency. The center emphasizes a compassionate, community-focused approach, fostering an environment where clients can rebuild their lives with dignity, independence, and hope. A full time Landlord Engagement Specialist, hired part time at first, will provide housing search assistance, landlord engagement, unit recruiting, application support, and move-in coordination. During early operations this position will build a housing pipeline, supporting early lease-ups. As occupancy increases in the facility, this position will support a full caseload for rapid exits and retention. This position is rooted in a commitment to racial and social justice, acknowledging and addressing the challenges faced by everyone, especially BIPOC communities. This position has a social justice component that requires critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principles of antiracism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values. **As an equal opportunity employer, we highly encourage people of color to apply.** **Note:** This is an onsite position. ### Expectations of your role: Landlord Engagement - Meet with clients to complete intake paperwork, review documentation to determine eligibility, and pertinent rental information. - Establish and maintain positive relationships with local landlords to advocate for clients, addressing concerns related to rental history, credit issues, and previous evictions. - Foster transparent communication with landlords and advocate for fair lease terms. - Provide trauma-informed supportive services and advocacy around housing placement to expand housing options for clients and maintain housing placements. - Resolve barriers that interfere with securing a rental lease and advocate with private landlords. - Act as a liaison and mediator for housing issues that may arise. - Attend and participate in meetings with Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing, the Landlord Engagement team, and service providers. - Help prepare and distribute daily cold-prepared meals to clients at the New Start Center - Maintains knowledge of YWCA client resources, services, and staff and can make appropriate inter-agency referrals. - Maintains calm, caring and professional demeanor at all times, especially during stressful situations. - Maintains confidentiality, discretion and professionalism by not discussing staff, clients, or visitors with others. - Maintains proper client/staff relationship boundaries. - Incorporate the YWCA’s Social Justice Initiative by understanding how racism, sexism, classism, and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions. - Treats all visitors, clients, staff, and volunteers with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background. Safety and Security - Maintain working knowledge of fire, safety and disaster plans related to emergency situations and conditions. - Follow emergency response guidelines, policies, and procedures. - Ability to de-escalate conflicts or crises in the facility between clients and/or other individuals and directs them to appropriate staff who can provide next steps. Administrative Duties - Maintain and keep confidential files in a locked storage cabinet. - Maintain client case notes and input HMIS service data. - Provide a quarterly narrative report regarding client updates. - Record all pertinent information in logbooks, and email Life Coaches, the Program Manager, or others as needed. - Understand and follow all policies in the EDNSC Staff Handbook as well as other YWCA policies and procedures. The duties listed above are representative of the essential functions of the position. Other duties may be assigned as needed. ### Must have's to be successful: - A Bachelor’s degree in social services or a related field **OR** - A minimum of (3) years of experience in property management, housing services, and/or real estate, including negotiation and advocacy. Experience with case management and working in transitional housing is a plus. - Comprehensive understanding of issues around homelessness, poverty and trauma, especially as they affect specific populations, including but not limited to veterans, families, the elderly & disabled, people who live with chronic mental illness, youth, LGBTQI people, immigrants & refugees, and people of color - Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with private landlords or property managers - Experience negotiating lease terms, move-in conditions, or resolving landlord concerns - Working knowledge of Fair Housing laws and tenant/landlord rights - Experience advocating for, and supporting clients through housing search, application completion, lease-up, and move-in coordination - Knowledge of rapid rehousing, housing first, or housing retention models preferred - Familiarity with the Snohomish County and greater Puget Sound rental market, including barriers to access and landlord concerns - Ability to travel locally for landlord outreach, unit viewings, and move-in coordination - **Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation** - Demonstrated conflict resolution and negotiation skills when working with landlords, property managers, and clients - Experience managing a housing-focused caseload and prioritizing time-sensitive placement activities - Basic computer literacy with ability to use Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Sharepoint - Ability to engage external partners through a culturally responsive and anti-racist lens - Ability to listen and respond appropriately to client and community needs, concerns, and complaints - Ability to maintain calm, caring and professional demeanor (especially in stressful situations) - Someone with experience working with individuals who are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing is a bonus - Demonstrated ability to interact with people of different cultures and backgrounds. - Knowledge of and experience as a service provider with any of the following: cultural diversity issues, crisis intervention, victims of domestic violence, low-income housing, substance abuse, mental health, welfare rights, case management, or sexual assault ### Hours, Rate, and Benefits - Hourly Rate: $28.00 - Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans - At the time of hire, employees may choose to voluntarily enroll in the Fidelity 403b Plan. - Typically, after (2) years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund. ### Physical Requirements - *The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In performing this position, the employee:* - Continuously exchanges information through listening and talking with clients, agency staff, volunteers, and individuals in the community - Continuously repetitive use of hands and wrists handling, grasping and reaching in using computers, telephones, fax machines and other office equipment - Continuously sitting, often for extended periods while performing desktop activities - Walking around the facility and occasional standing in performing duties - Frequently lifts and carries up to 5 lbs. of paperwork, files, and materials, occasionally up to 40 lbs. of food, hygiene supplies, clothing or other items - Ability to frequently move about the facility using the stairs and in emergent situations able to move about the facility quickly following emergency protocols. - All positions at YWCA of Seattle | King | Snohomish are exposed to clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms including but not limited to domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, financial hardship, etc. As a result, staff are at risk of secondary trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek external support and maintain self-care when working indirectly or directly with clients. *\* Continuously over 80% time; Frequently 20-80% time; and occasionally under 20% time*