Housing Navigator

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Founded in 2008, ProsperityME is a growing 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Portland, Maine. ProsperityME empowers, through education and counseling, members of refugee and immigrant communities to invest in themselves to build financial stability, careers, businesses and wealth.

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ProsperityME offers financial education services including financial literacy courses, one-on-one financial counseling and coaching. We also provide support for higher education, security deposit assistance for housing, small business counseling, emergency rental assistance, unemployment navigation services, and workforce development. ProsperityME’s services are open to all refugees, immigrants, asylees, and other individuals with low-income in Greater Portland and Lewiston/Auburn, Maine. Emergency Rental Assistance services are offered in Cumberland and York counties. 

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Duties & Responsibilities:

The Housing Navigator will work with immigrant individuals and families at risk of homelessness to create a long-term plan for housing and financial stability. Three main components of this position include: landlord engagement, pre-tenancy assistance to individuals and families, and housing stability services. The goal is to reduce the length of time families spend in homelessness or precarious housing situations, successfully lease families in permanent housing, and limit returns to homelessness within the first year of being housed.

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The Housing Navigator will facilitate a 1:1 service directly with clients to identify and troubleshoot barriers to housing stability, create an action plan to secure appropriate housing in conjunction with rental relief programs such as Stability Through Engagement Program (STEP), Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA), and other services such as SNAP, WIC, TANF, CA$H for tax preparation, unemployment insurance assistance, 1:1 financial coaching, and more.

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The Housing Navigator will be responsible for engaging with regional landlords to establish working relationships to increase the number of available units for participating families, and work to maintain and grow partnerships with local housing agencies such as Avesta Housing, Southern Maine Landlord Association, and the Portland Housing Authority.

 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred. Social Services or related field preferred.

• Thorough understanding of housing programs in Maine required.

• Experience working with minorities, immigrant and refugee communities preferred.

• Multilingual is preferred, with an emphasis on Portuguese and Lingala

• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and be a good public speaker.

• In state travel required.

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Benefits:

• 401(k)

• 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance

• Health insurance

• Life insurance

• Paid time off

 

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

• Monday to Friday