Eviction Prevention Initiative (EPI) (Social Worker)

The Eviction Prevention Initiative (EPI) was launched in May 2020 as a crisis-response program aimed at decreasing the number of evictions faced by Hamilton County households during the COVID-19 crisis. In September 2021, the approved city budget included a $500,000 allocation to the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga (CFGC) for the prevention of evictions and to reduce homelessness in our community resulting from the pandemic.
Since this time, approximately 242 households and 287 children have avoided eviction. Through lessons learned from the program's ground-level crisis response, the EPI is also seeking to elevate system-level issues impacting local households to advocate for policies that aid in both our community's recovery, as well as its resilience. As the program has expanded, social workers have become essential components to supporting the success and wellbeing of families facing housing stability and for informing current and future policy efforts.
This position will be the second social worker hired at Habitat for Humanity to work on eviction prevention and housing stability efforts and is made possible by a recent grant opportunity from a national funder. This grant will expand local efforts within the court system to divert evictions away from a court date and towards a resolution between all parties to an eviction case. The "Eviction Diversion Initiative Social Worker" will aid in these efforts and provide a connection to the court adjacent EPI program to ensure collaboration and effective data collection.

This position will be supervised by the current EPI social worker and, while they will work in collaboration with the team to support households with active eviction cases, most of their efforts will focus on eviction diversion. It is expected that the "Eviction Diversion Initiative Social Worker" will work closely with the court system, local landlords, tenants, and EPI to support households who need services prior to a formal eviction process in order to avoid crisis and promote housing stability for both landlord and tenant.

Key Responsibilities:
* Work closely with EPI team, project attorneys, court partners, tenants, and landlords to support clients that qualify for case management and:
* Personalize intensive and/or light touch case management intervention based on clients' needs and goals
* Maintain updated case management notes and update case history in shared and individual database(s)
* Coordinate services and client support
* Attend eviction court weekly to:
* Assist in intake process for clients and tenants facing eviction
* Direct tenants to local resources that meet their needs
* Contribute to program data collection and research through:
* Establishing research questions and data collection practices specific to case management services
* Working to connect case management program level data to system-level change initiatives and policy proposals
* Report to Project Director on key lessons from ground-level work with landlords and tenants that could inform policy and system change
* Adhere to the Code of Ethics as defined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
* Maintain HIPAA-compliant confidentiality standards with clients
* Serve as liaison with area landlords to establish and maintain healthy, mutually beneficial relationships between EPI program, tenants, and landlords
* Work to formalize partnerships with area service organizations and programs to ensure client success
* Work with EPI team and court system to create and facilitate Renter Education Program and workshops for Hamilton * County residents
* Submit flex fund requests as needed for increasing client housing stability
* Work with EPI staff to establish flex fund criteria for case management clients
* Submit flex fund request for participating and qualifying case management clients
* Participate, when needed and available, in presentations and meetings with EPI project partners
* Work directly with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga's Director of Construction to assist with home-visits for applicants in our AIP/Home-Repair programs.
* Work directly with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga's Chief Administrative Officer to identify residents facing foreclosure to:
* Connect residents to foreclosure prevention resources
* Provide case management assistance to clients facing foreclosure

Requirements:
BSW preferred, MSW recommended.
3-5 years experience in social work, case management, or related field.

Position Type: Full time employee Salary: $40,000 - $45,000 (relevant to experience)

Please send your resume to the Tenasa McGhee <> for considerations. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE!

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