Overview
The Shelter Specialist’s primary duty is to conduct shelter monitoring activities consistent with the Coalition’s duties and obligations as the independent monitor of New York City’s municipal shelters. The Shelter Specialist will regularly visit shelters throughout the city as part of formally scheduled daytime joint inspections with the Department of Homeless Services as well as unscheduled inspections, which may occur during nighttime and weekend hours, in order to document violations and other problems. The Shelter Specialist will engage with shelter residents for the purpose of providing referrals to Coalition programs and, as appropriate, communicate directly with shelter staff to immediately resolve residents’ problems. In collaboration with Advocacy staff, including other members of the shelter monitoring team, the Shelter Specialist will establish priorities and goals for shelter monitoring as well as engagement with shelter residents through outreach and advocacy. The Shelter Specialist will also help organize, support, and mobilize shelter residents and formerly-homeless New Yorkers for Coalition advocacy campaigns and events. The Shelter Specialist will adopt a professional tone consistent with the mission and goals of the Coalition for the Homeless in providing these services.
QUALIFICATIONS: AA/AS in human services or health discipline required (or a GED/high school diploma and at least four years of relevant work experience in homeless services or grassroots organizing). BA/BS in social work, human services, or health discipline strongly preferred. Prior direct client services and case management experience, especially with homeless and/or low-income people, strongly preferred. Strong written and oral communication skills, availability to work nights and weekends, and a desire to work as part of a team required. Spanish language proficiency and lived experience in the NYC shelter system highly desirable.
DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Shelter Specialist shall:
1. Conduct monitoring of New York City shelters to assess and document: problem conditions; compliance or lack thereof with the legal right to shelter, other court orders, and State and City regulations and agency procedures; and the needs of residents;
2. Advocate for individual needs of shelter residents as necessary and possible during field visits, provide information and referral, and document individual and systemic problems for follow-up with the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) as directed;
3. Communicate with DHS regarding compliance with shelter standards and accurately track communication with DHS in Coalition databases and calendars to ensure the agency responds and, when appropriate, corrects issues identified by Coalition staff;
4. Ensure all monitoring visits are accurately and timely entered into Coalition calendars and visit reports are accurately and timely entered into Coalition databases;
5. Timely respond to shelter residents’ calls and emails, and log communication with residents into Coalition database on a daily basis;
6. Organize and develop Client Advisory Boards (CABs) in shelters citywide, develop the Client Advisory Group (CAG) as both the consortium of CABs and a key tool for organizing homeless and formerly-homeless individuals and families, and attend weekly CAG meetings;
7. Work with Advocacy staff and outside counsel to provide litigation support by identifying and liaising with potential plaintiffs for affirmative cases to defend and expand the rights of homeless individuals and families;
8. In consultation with other shelter monitoring staff, develop the schedule of regular joint inspections with DHS and confirm DHS’s availability, identify the need for and schedule unannounced inspections, and update shared department calendars to reflect schedule changes;
9. Recruit, train, and mobilize volunteers to assist with shelter inspections;
10. Together with the Advocacy staff, help develop and implement the Coalition’s organizing campaigns and public education work, assist in the coordination of campaign and event organizing, facilitate consultation with shelter residents in the development of policy and campaign activities, and increase the participation by homeless and formerly-homeless individuals and families in the Coalition’s organizing activities;
11. Conduct outreach to shelter residents who have received sanction notices to terminate their shelter placements and connect them with Coalition staff and outside counsel for representation at fair hearings;
12. Organize shelter residents and formerly-homeless individuals and families for the purpose of City and State-level advocacy on a range of public policy issues that impact homeless and low-income individuals;
13. Liaise with other departments and programs of the Coalition to provide resource materials and increase awareness about the work of the Advocacy Department and to include other staff in Advocacy campaigns and events. Provide assistance and support to the Program staff, including coordination of visits with Crisis Intervention Program clients, as directed;
14. Obtain regular supervision with the Shelter Rights Monitoring Team Supervisor or designee to review department operations, policy, and other issues/concerns;
15. Participate in weekly staff and other meetings as directed, such as in-service training and staff development and orientation activities;
16. Assist in the training and orientation of fellow members of the department, including but not limited to accompanying department staff and volunteers on field visits and ensuring they understand the rights of shelter residents; and
17. Perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Shelter Rights Monitoring Team Supervisor, Director of Government Relations and Legal Affairs, the Executive Director, or designee.
REPORTS TO: Shelter Rights Monitoring Team Supervisor or designee