| June 28, 2018 POSITION DESCRIPTION HOUSING COUNSELOR/INTAKE SPECIALIST Open Communities Overview: Open Communities' mission is to educate, advocate and organize to promote just and inclusive communities in north suburban Chicago. We seek to eradicate housing discrimination, in all of its forms and against all persons, because of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, familial status, or source of income. Quality housing is a human right; fair housing is the law. To further our goal of equal housing opportunities for all, Open Communities engages in activities that encourage fair housing practices. Our free and confidential services include investigation and prosecution of housing discrimination, mediation of landlord/tenant complaints, a Legal Assistance Program providing representation to tenants in eviction cases, and foreclosure prevention and other forms of housing counseling. Job Description: As Housing Counselor 1. Responsible for all foreclosure prevention client cases, including: - discussion of client’s intentions with the subject property
- discussion of client’s mortgage delinquency status
- discussion of client’s foreclosure court status (if any)
- discussion of client’s financial hardship (or otherwise)
- discussion of client’s monthly income
- loan look-up (Fannie/Freddie)
- discussion of potential options (loan modification, forbearance, refinance, financial complaint, deed-in-lieu/short sale, etc.)
- provision of appropriate community referrals as needed
- discussion of action plan and next steps in person
- Tracking foreclosure prevention intakes for grant reporting
2. Attending professional continuing education and other industry/relevant trainings to secure HUD Housing Counselor certification at the earliest possible time. As Intake Specialist 1. To serve as the first point of contact with persons seeking service from Open Communities. 2. To refer every person seeking housing services to the appropriate Open Communities staff member or, if Open Communities is unable to provide the service, to other potential sources of assistance. 3. Obtain pertinent information from persons seeking services, including required demographic information 4. Acquire and maintain effective knowledge of relevant sources of assistance outside of Open Communities. 5. Maintain complete records of client interactions. 6. Identify and correct inefficiencies in intake processes and workflows. 7. Attend conferences and in-service trainings to increase/maintain skills 8. Participate in agency outreach, as needed and available. Status: Reports to the Director of Fair Housing, full-time, 40 hrs./week, exempt Required: - Excellent customer service skills
- Ability to communicate with others effectively, listen closely and convey points clearly
- Ability to pay very close attention to detail and get required information from persons seeking services
- Ability to interact effectively and compassionately with persons seeking services who may be experiencing high levels of stress
- Ability to be patient and flexible with people who may have trouble communicating or understanding
- Ability to work well with people of all races, ages, abilities and backgrounds
- Ability to keep complete and organized records in the face of multiple demands
- Very strong time management and organizational skills
- Ability to multi-task in a fast paced customer focused environment
- Prior knowledge of housing counseling or ability to assume an intense training schedule while still completing job tasks.
Preferred: - Fluency in a language in addition to English preferred; Bilingual, English/Spanish, strongly preferred
- Familiarity with the northern suburbs and its service providers
Hiring Range: The starting salary for this position will be $40,000 depending on experience OPEN COMMUNITIES IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER | 
