Housing Specialist

Salary: $54,558.40 - $72,841.60 Annually

Location : Rochester, MN

Job Type: Regular Full-Time

Department: Housing

Opening Date: 01/08/2025

Closing Date: 1/22/:59 PM Central

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Hours of Work: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Union: Employees Association

Olmsted County has earned the 2023 and 2024 Best Places to Work - Southeast Minnesota designation.
Minimum Qualifications of Education and Experience

Expected starting salary is $26.23 to $35.02. Full salary range is $26.23 to $43.61.

Associate's degree from an accredited college in human services or related field and one (1) year of experience in a similar position as listed in the work functions

OR

A combination of education and experience equivalent to three (3) years of experience in a similar position as listed in the work functions.

Regular and reliable attendance is a necessary component of job/position. Individuals required to use County vehicles and equipment must have a valid driver's license and be free of any major traffic violations for the last three (3) years.

Nature of Work

Under supervision, manages an assigned caseload, performs day-to-day coordination and quality control of eligibility, inspections, new leases, annual re-certifications, and program terminations in accordance with agency policy and in compliance with funding regulations. Recommends updates to policies and procedures. Assists with training staff. Supports a diverse, respectful, and inclusive workplace.
Examples of Work

• Manages an active caseload of clients applying for and receiving rental assistance benefits including determining participant eligibility under the applicable program for initial occupancy, reviewing eligibility and rent calculations as required in accordance with HRA policies and program regulations.
• Conducts and follows-up on initial and on-going Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspections to determine compliance with the applicable program and communicates results to tenants and property owners.
• Prepares Housing Assistance Payment contracts to coordinate housing assistance payments between the HRA and property owners.
• Serves as primary contact with program participants, rental unit owners, and managers for assigned caseload. Provides explanations regarding housing programs and regulations, policies, and procedures. Responds to telephone and in-person inquiries. Troubleshoots and resolves conflicts with payments, clients, and files.
• Assists with training staff.
• Manages specialty programs as assigned including advertising, enrollment, case management, education, and eligibility.
• Maintains client files and records with accuracy ensuring all documentation and information is complete and correct.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Knowledge of state and federal housing programs
• Knowledge of office procedures and practices
• Knowledge of laws and regulations pertaining to landlord/tenant relations
• Knowledge of eligibility requirements for state and federal program funding
• Skill in performing and providing customer service
• Skill in critical thinking and problem solving
• Skill in the use computers, technology and unique software
• Ability to maintain accurate and systematic records
• Ability to work with a varied client base including special populations, clients with special needs and persons of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the general public
• Ability to perform complex tasks and handle routine decisions in accordance with policy

Persons with disabilities: the above is a general listing of job duties. Essential and non-essential functions may vary by individual position. Reasonable accommodations may be available for both essential and non-essential job duties.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: In compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, the following represents the Physical and Environmental Demands:

Function:

24% or Less

25% - 49%

50%-74%

75% or more

Office environment

X

Outdoors environment

X

In vehicle

X

Exposure to weather

X

Sitting

X

Standing, walking, reaching, crouching, kneeling, stooping

X

Repetitive hand movements, typing/data entry

X

Talking

X

Close vision

X

Depth perception, field of vision

X

Sedentary (exert up to 10 pounds of force)

X

Light effort (exert up to 20 pounds of force)

X

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Provisional employees are eligible for benefits if employment is projected to be 12 months or longer and work at least 40 hours per pay period.

This document is a brief Summary of Benefits for Olmsted County Employees on the Paid Time Off Program.

Paid Time Off
Employees over .5 FTE accrue Paid Time Off (PTO) based on their length of service as follows:

First year to 5 years of service - accrue up to 23 days
6 to 10 years of service - accrue up to 25 days
11 to 15 years of service - accrue up to 27.5 days
16 to 20 years of service - accrue up to 30 days
21 to 26 years of service - accrue up to 32.5 days
Over 26 years of service - accrue up to 35 days

Employees begin accruing PTO on their first day of work and can use it as soon as accrued with supervisor approval.

Flexible Time Leave
All regular, full-time employees and part-time employees who are scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours or more per week on an ongoing basis shall receive up to 24 hours (prorated by FTE) of paid FTL at their regular base pay each calendar year.

Commencement of Employment of FTL Hours
Between January 1 and June Hours
Between July 1 and August Hours
Between September 1 and November 30 8 Hours
Between December 1 and December 31 0 Hours

Paid Holidays
Olmsted County recognizes the following legal holidays:
New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (4 hours when December 24th falls on a Monday - Thursday only), Christmas Day

Employee Health and Insurance Benefits
Health, Dental, Vision, Basic Life, Health Care Spending Account and Dependent Care Spending Account benefits become effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

Health Insurance
The self-insured Olmsted County Employees' Health Plan is administered by Medica. Under the plan, eligible employees and their dependents have access to all providers in the Medica Health Plan Solutions network, including Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center. Members have access to a travel network through First Health.

The plan offers a comprehensive preventive care program to help protect the health of employees and their dependents, 80% co-insurance on most services (after deductible) and access to Nice Healthcare, which offers no-cost virtual and in-home appointments, labs, x-rays, and more.

There is a base in-network deductible of $1,500/person, $4,500/family with the opportunity to earn a reward to lower the deductible to $500/person, $1,500/family. The in-network out-of-pocket maximum is $3,000/person, $6,000/family for those who earn the reward.

Coverage is available for employees and their eligible dependents.

The monthly rates for healthcare coverage are as follows:

Health Insurance Rates
Single health coverage monthly cost to the employee is $110.00 per month or $55.00 per pay period. Employee Plus Children monthly cost to the employee is $500 per month or $240 per pay period. Employee Plus One coverage monthly cost to the employee is $546.00 per month or $273.00 per pay period. Family coverage monthly cost to the employee is $690.00 per month or $345 per pay period.

Nice Healthcare
Nice Healthcare is an additional healthcare option for employees on our health plan. The plan includes virtual and in-home care, primary care, convenient medication delivery, lab work and diagnostics, and comprehensive family care. Coverage is available for employees on the health plan (and their benefits-eligible dependents) all at no cost to employees.

Prescription Drug Plan
The Olmsted County Employees' Health Plan prescription drug benefit is part of the health plan and is administered by Alluma. Covered prescriptions are based on the Alluma Advantage Formulary. The plan contracts with Express Scripts to provide a national network. This allows members to receive prescriptions conveniently at home, or across the country, for the same co-insurance amount. Prescription co-insurance is 25% or 40% depending on whether the prescription is formulary or non-formulary, with the opportunity to lower co-insurance through mail order. Prescriptions are subject to minimum and maximum charges. Both retail and mail order prescriptions apply toward an annual $2,400/person or $4,800/family out of pocket limit.

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