Housing Specialists shall be available to ensure access to and stabilization in housing by assisting program participants with: developing a housing plan; identifying and applying for affordable housing options; maintaining effective relationships with landlords, property managers, and housing assistance providers; providing expertise to program participants and clinical staff in tenant-landlord and fair housing laws, including the use of reasonable accommodations; and providing direct services to help program participants stabilize in housing. The Housing Specialists shall work in collaboration with the CSBs, PHAs, and private providers to ensure that: • Program participants are assessed for and have access to treatment, rehabilitation, and support services reflective of their changing needs and preferences; and that • Program participants are assessed and offered clinical, rehabilitative, or recovery support to address their needs and preferences as a component of PSH admission, but receipt of these services is not required in order to secure or maintain housing. The Contractor shall have experience in providing the following required components of High-Fidelity Supportive Housing Services: 1. Outreach and Engagement: The process to secure housing involves many steps, each of which is critical to entering into a lease agreement and moving in. Contractors must assess program participants’ housing needs and preferences, exploring leasebased housing options, securing documentation to apply for rental assistance and housing, completing applications, securing rental assistance, communicating with property management staff, preparing to move-in, establishing the household, reasonable accommodation and modification requests, and learning to navigate the property and key relationships in housing. This may include engaging with individuals who are experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, in hospitals, jails, or in congregate residential care. Additionally, service engagement may change during tenancy, and the Contractor must be skilled at proactive engagement to ensure program participants’ needs are met over time. Additionally, despite the best efforts of the program participant and the team, some individuals may lose housing during PSH enrollment. The team is expected to maintain engagement to ensure the participant has access to temporary accommodations, is re-housed as quickly as possible, or is assisted to access a higher level of care if chosen by the participant...
