Job Description

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Interviews assigned applicants for Public Housing and HCVP residency; reviews applications to determine (1) applicant eligibility for admission or continued occupancy; (2) rent to be charged; and (3) unit size required according to HUD and DCHA regulations;
• Counsels prospective tenants on the policies and procedures relative to obtaining and maintaining a unit;
• Conducts reexaminations of resident income and sources of income for all family members and family composition to determine eligibility for continued occupancy; conducts interviews as necessary;
• Directs prospective and recertification applicants in securing necessary verification and documentation of eligibility factors and where further data is necessary to ensure complete and accurate evidence. Contacts employers, community agencies, schools, etc., for substantiation and/or clarification;
• Identifies and resolves recertification discrepancies, i.e., unreported income, occupancy changes and unreported family assets;
• Determines residents who qualify for Earned Income Disregard (EID) exclusions;
• Calculates resident verified adjusted annual income and assets to determine resident rent responsibility for either income or market based rents;
• Represents the Authority by providing testimony at Office of Fair Hearings and Tenant and Landlord court hearings;
• Notifies residents in writing of any rent adjustments and effective dates;
• Prepares and mails application for continued occupancy to residents with reasonable written notice of actions needed to complete their recertification timely;
• Conducts third party verifications via all verification sources available; follows up on findings and conducts additional interviews with families accordingly. Prepares correspondence or make telephone calls to other District or Federal agencies, private organizations and the public in order to obtain and verify information concerning the residents;
• Resolves problem cases of resident clients;
• Monitors the progress of all assigned annual and interim recertifications to ensure all related activities are completed in the prescribed time frame.
• Remains abreast of new and revised federal and District housing/recertification regulations and guidelines and recommends actions for improvement or correction of operating deficiencies;
• Participates and conducts training seminars for residents;
• Provides assistance to Housing Managers, HMA’s and other Recertification Specialists as necessary to determine coverage, suggest methodology and provides guidance on the handling of technical problems and problem issues as they arise;
• Prepares correspondence and recurring, special and one-time reports; and coordinates findings with other Specialists;
• Enters and retrieves data or information from the automated data system;
• Prepares recommendations for improvement or correction of deficient recertification activities;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university); and a minimum of (2) two years’ experience recertifying and determining client eligibility for public and assisted housing; or other equivalent combination of education and experience which meet the minimum qualifications requirement may be substituted.

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) conducts pre-employment screening on specified positions, which may include but is not limited to a criminal background check, drug and alcohol testing, verification of academic credentials, licenses, and certifications, and/or verification of work history.

This position has been designated by the department to require a drug and alcohol screening and background check. Finalist(s) for this position will be subject to drug and alcohol testing and will be required to consent to a pre-employment background check as a condition of employment.