Unit Technician - Birch Grove

Description

Days Off: Friday, Saturday

Shift: Day

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

Union Representation: This position is a part of a union and is represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

About DESC: 

Recognized nationally as an   innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a   social services organization, supportive housing operator, and  licensed  behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the  needs of  people experiencing long-term homelessness and living with  complex  behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately  3,000  people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given  point in  time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown  compassion,  treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and  affordable  place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs, 19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered  site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including  outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use  disorder.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Birch Grove will be DESC's 20th permanent supportive housing site that will include 120 units of affordable housing in Seattle's Lake City neighborhood. This vital project will provide stable, supportive housing and 24/7 on-site services for single adults living with disabilities and experiencing chronic homelessness. The community will also feature welcoming indoor and outdoor common spaces.

JOB DEFINITION:

The Unit Technician works as a member of the multidisciplinary team to provide direct support to residents to assist them in maintaining safe, healthy, and stable living conditions within their units. This position blends supportive services with light maintenance and unit remediation tasks, working collaboratively with other members of the housing team in promoting long-term housing stability.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in shift briefs and read logs before the start of each shift daily
• Interact professionally and respectfully with residents by maintaining confidentiality and uphold tenant rights at all times
• Engage and have frequent contact with tenants on the Unit Elevated Concern List (UECL)
• Document unit conditions before and after occupancy using housing service notes and/or UECL in Chasers
• Follow all HUD, local housing authority, and fair housing guidelines
• Conduct regular inspections of units identified to ensure compliance with safety codes and housing quality standards and report/correct any safety hazards or code violations.
• In collaboration with residents and their treatment team, complete the Housing Retention & Stability Plan in the UECL and help clients achieve their short and long-term goals.
• Complete documentation on all client interactions according to agency standards and prepare and submit documentation of services.
• In partnership with other staff members, help facilitate or lead activities that contribute to long-term housing success and improve independent living skills.
• Assist with compliance inspections from housing authorities or funders.
• Respond to urgent issues such as water leaks, power outages, or lockouts
• Assist with grounds & common area upkeep. Ensuring cleanliness and safety of hallways, laundry rooms, lobbies, and outdoor areas
• Perform routine low-level maintenance and repairs in residential units and common areas. Repair basic building or apartment systems as assigned, including basic electrical systems (switches, outlets, breakers, fixtures, and minor wiring), general carpentry needs (floor repair, wallboard and plaster work, painting), and basic plumbing.
• Develop, design, and implement mitigation strategies to limit frequency or severity of unit damage in assigned units, including but limited to, installing features designed to limited future damage
• Respond promptly to maintenance requests and work orders  
• Communicate repair or extensive cleaning needs to supervisor before starting work, seeking assistance to complete maintenance work not within personal skill level.
• Assist with unit turnovers, new resident leasing and orientation; rent collection and facilities inspections
• Assist with other property management functions as assigned

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• 1 year of relevant maintenance or trades experience.
• Ability to meet Washington Department of Health requirements for registration as a Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor (AAC) or any other superseding credential.
• Basic understanding of homelessness and various characteristics of homeless adult population.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behaviors.
• Subscription to philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.
• Demonstrated ability to address basic maintenance and repair needs in a residential setting
• Ability to organize workload and complete duties with minimum direct supervision.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA degree in social or behavioral science.
• Residential property management experience.
• Experience with the challenges of mental illness and substance use.
• Ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle to conduct agency related business, which requires a current Washington State driver's license and insurable driving record.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to sit, communicate with other employees, lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds, and operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

DESC is committed   to diversity in the workplace, and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste,marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are   encouraged to apply.