Housing Liaison

Summary

This position serves as the interface between the HACP Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Leasings and Inspections divisions, landlords, and property owners, providing support, resources, communication, and a point of direct contact for landlords and property owners. All activities must support the HACP mission, strategic goals, and objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The position duties and responsibilities listed below describe the general nature and scope of work. Other responsibilities, duties, and skills may be required and assigned as needed.

• Solicits prospective landlords to participate in HCV through incentives, pre-inspections, and updated payment standard outreach. Promotes landlord participation concerning contract rent amounts in accordance with program regulations and policies.
• Assists with landlord outreach efforts with local partners, including apartment associations, Pittsburgh Board of Realtors, tenant councils, and other community partners, with an emphasis on recruiting additional property owners willing to lease their properties to participants of the HCV program and other rental assistance programs.
• Conducts marketing surveys and data collection and manages related data.
• Gathers data and research information pertaining to the admissions and occupancy of units assisted in the Section 8 program.
• Monitors referral and success rates of applicants in the Section 8 program.
• Responds to property owners' and managers’ daily questions and inquiries and performs landlord outreach efforts.
• Resolves tenant, landlord, or owner inquiries for landlord services, inspections, and HCV.
• Monitors records and executes requests for rent increases. Monitors customer satisfaction regarding landlords/owners and prepares customer satisfaction reports.
• Manages HACP online Landlord Resource module to include marketing the module to encourage property owners/investors and managers to access and use the module; approves new property owner set-ups in the module, addresses module questions, manages the FAQ, executes other module maintenance as needed, and updates portal messages as needed.
• Coordinates Landlord Incentives, Landlord Security Deposits, Pre-Inspection, and Rehabilitation Payment Standard contracting, recruitment, and program compliance.
• HCV property owner informational materials promoting the benefits of participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program; updates PowerPoint presentations and prepares regular informational bulletins, property owners/investors, and tenant newsletters to provide information on changes, updates, and general information.
• Establishes and maintains vendor relationships.
• Compiles and maintains Rent Reasonableness system data for tracking and reporting processes.
• Manages owner/management changes, including adding new property owners/investors/managers, direct deposit update requests, and related address changes.
• Maintains available unit lists and printing lists for distribution. Ensures the lists are updated on HACP’s website and identifies units in non-impacted areas and if the unit is accessible.
• Gathers and prepares documents for completion of unit submission, owner qualification, and/or updates to include rent comparability and reasonableness, and overall affordability qualifications.
• Provides assistance with the preparation of leasing documents and the closing process.
• Assists with meeting development and participates in meetings, hearings, projects, or related events.
• Updates and maintains voucher numbers within the computer system and available unit lists and coordinates the rental listings process with the current online HACP rental listing.
• Facilitates territory assignments for Inspectors for HQS annual, addendum, complaint, initial inspections, re-inspections, and HUD special inspections.
• Liaises with Inspectors to order and provide new equipment, office supplies, and HCV protocols.
• Manage financial adjustment processing and compliance paperwork for the inspections division regarding passed inspections, landlord updates, and tenant/landlord-initiated payment inquiries.
• Ensures landlord records compliance within I-Drive and DocuClass for the Inspections division.
• Schedules inspections in ACCESS and Elite, schedules and manages HQS Manager's work calendar.
• Responsible for correspondence and reports for inspections and landlord programming.
• Reviews and assists processing of Request for Tenancy (RFTA) paperwork with Support and Service Specialist I.
• Generates inspection documentation for internal staff, landlords, and tenants.
• Audits and reviews inspection documentation for housing contracts and pay cycles.
• Audits and review landlord and payee Elite unit entry entities for discrepancies, duplicate accounts
• Performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Required Skills

This position requires the incumbent to exhibit the following behavioral skills:

• The ideal incumbent will be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Focused, efficient, and results oriented. Strong organizational skills and self-directed work habits. Able to anticipate deadlines and manage multiple complex projects, often with overlapping deadlines.
• Proficiency in computer software, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Emphasys/Elite, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace. Ability to learn additional software applications.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. Able to make compelling presentations.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required. A bachelor’s degree in business is preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in public housing or a similar environment, property, or project management.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• At times, you must be able to lift up to 15 pounds.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.