Homeless Services Specialist I
Virginia Beach, VA
Posted 2 months ago
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Job Description
Job Duties:
Join Our Team as a Landlord Engagement Specialist and Help Open Doors to Housing in Virginia Beach
The Prevention Team within the Homeless Services Division of the Housing & Neighborhood Preservation Department plays a critical role in helping individuals and families avoid homelessness and achieve long-term stability. We provide housing advocacy, connection to mainstream benefits, housing stabilization services, placement assistance, and case management for households at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
As part of this mission, our Landlord Engagement Specialist strengthens partnerships with local landlords and property managers to expand housing opportunities for households with barriers to securing a rental unit. Working under the direction of the Homeless Services Coordinator and supported by the Senior Caseworker, you will combine customer service excellence, problem-solving, case management skills, and relationship-building to help clients overcome housing challenges.
This is a dynamic, mission-driven role where every connection you make brings someone closer to safe and stable housing.
What You’ll Do
- Engage and cultivate partnerships with landlords, property managers, and housing providers to increase housing opportunities.
- Conduct targeted outreach and marketing to recruit, retain, and support landlord partners.
- Complete housing quality inspections to ensure the safety and suitability of units.
- Collaborate with the team to assess client needs, barriers, and housing-readiness.
- Develop and maintain a database of available housing resources to reduce client barriers.
- Use strong mediation skills to foster positive tenant–landlord relationships and support successful placements.
- Build comprehensive knowledge of local community resources and the Virginia Beach Housing Crisis Response System.
- Drive a City vehicle as needed to perform job-related duties.
The Ideal Candidate
- Thrives on building relationships and sees value in forging partnerships that strengthen the community.
- Is a natural communicator—clear, confident, and professional with both landlords and clients.
- Enjoys problem‑solving and is motivated by helping households overcome barriers to housing.
- Understands the importance of trauma‑informed, client‑centered service delivery.
- Stays calm and solutions‑focused in fast‑paced or high‑pressure situations.
- Works well independently but is also collaborative and supportive within a team environment.
- Has strong organizational skills and can manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Is compassionate, adaptable, and committed to helping families and individuals secure safe, stable housing.
Why Join Us?
- Health, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement and savings plans
- Parental leave
- Paid holidays
- Annual and sick leave
- Training and professional development opportunities
Official City Job Description:
https://virginia-beach-departments-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/city/job-descriptions-pay-plans/Homeless-Services-Specialist-I-03380.pdf
Working Conditions:
https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/B.007353.pdf
Minimum Requirements:
MINIMUMS: Any combination of education (above the high school level) and/or experience equivalent to four (4) years in a human services field or fields providing experience in human services/direct services/case management. Must have a current and valid drivers license. All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies. Work hours and work locations may be adjusted to meet client, city or community needs and situations, including some weekends, some evenings, work from home, alternating days in the office, and office sharing.
Additional Requirements:
DMV Transcript: Required
CDL: Not Required
DOT History: Not Required
CPS Check: Not Required
Physical: Not Required
Respirator: Not Required
Polygraph Review: Not Required
Psychological Screening: Not Required
Attachments Required:
Preferences:
- Experience reviewing lease agreements, applying landlord‑tenant laws, and fair housing considerations.
- Understanding of homelessness response systems and best practices in housing, stabilization, and prevention services.
- Experience in sales, outreach, recruitment, or marketing—especially related to housing or rental units.
- Experience with leasing, property management, and lease agreements.
- Experience working with vulnerable populations or individuals facing housing instability.
- Demonstrated success in high‑pressure or fast‑paced environments.
- Experience building strong relationships with community partners, landlords, or other stakeholders.
- Experience advocating for clients navigating complex barriers.
- Proficiency in outreach and recruitment strategies to engage landlords and property owners.
- Experience providing housing location assistance, leasing units, or conducting tenant‑landlord media
- Strong interpersonal skills; excellent written and verbal communication; strong organizational skills; proficiency with Excel and spreadsheets; and comfort with basic arithmetic.
- Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a team.
Special Instructions:
- Please complete the application in its entirety and include your resume if required by the posting.
- Your responses to any "Supplemental Questions", if attached to this requisition, must be supported by the information you provide on your application and/or resume; or otherwise demonstrated during the hiring process.
- You will not be able to access the details of this job ad once the closing date has passed. If you would like to retain this information, please take a screen shot or print using your browser's printing capability.
VRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.
Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.
City of Virginia Beach
Home to more than 456,000 people, Virginia Beach is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the 39th largest city in the United States. A dynamic community strengthened by a diverse mix of industry, attractions and people, Virginia Beach is recognized globally as one of the best places to live, work and do business. With 38 miles of beaches and 79 miles of scenic waterways, this vibrant East Coast city is situated along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, in the southeastern corner of the state, about a four-hour drive by car to Washington D.C., and within a day's drive or less from two-thirds of the U.S. population.The City of Virginia Beach LinkedIn page has a wealth of multimedia content available for review. The posted media is copyrighted and owned by the City and may not be downloaded, copied, or linked to without the express written permission of the City. Any media displayed by or linked from the City of Virginia Beach LinkedIn page or VirginiaBeach.gov that was not created by the City has been used with permission from the copyright holder.
