Housing Specialist III

Job Description:

Housing Specialist III

Description

CAREER DESCRIPTION

HOUSING SPECIALIST III

SALARY INFORMATION

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment is being held to establish an open eligible list to fill current and future Housing Specialist III vacancies within OC Community Resources/OC Housing Authority. This eligible list may also be used to fill positions in lower-level classification within this series.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:

Friday, May 22, 2026, at 11:59 pm (PT).

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY RESOURCES (OCCR)The Orange County Housing Authority is a division of Orange County Community Resources that administers the Housing Choice Voucher Program and other similar subsidized housing programs on behalf of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Click here for more information on the County of Orange.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Make a positive difference in the community by providing essential housing assistance to low-income households, by joining a dynamic and innovative team as a Housing Specialist III, with the Orange County Housing Authority (OCHA). The Housing Specialist III interprets, communicates, and applies housing regulations and policies associated with the administration of the Housing Choice Voucher Program and similar subsidized housing programs funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The general responsibilities and duties associated with this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs initial and ongoing eligibility as it pertains to rental assistance and interprets and applies regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Manages complex caseloads by reviewing, tracking, recruiting, assessing, and reporting participants' case progress.
• Represents the program at public events, delivers orientations, and develops information materials for community outreach.
• Collects required documentation from applicants, participants, and landlords, and builds relationships with service providers.
• Determines rent reasonableness and affordability of rental units and calculates rental assistance payments and repayment arrangements.
• Performs Housing Quality Standard (HQS) inspections and leasing activity; maintains escrow accounts, recommends escrow disbursement, and determines participants' dates of graduation.
• Prepares reports and correspondences for various agencies, landlords, or businesses that seek or report housing information.
• Coordinates receipt of portability packets with initial public housing authority; provides status updates regarding vouchers issues/expiration dates, participants, billing, monitors participants' progress and evaluates the overall success of the housing program.
• Recruits potential Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program participants from Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) recipients.
• Supports participants with job search, placement, retention, and advancement; assists participants in achieving established goals such as education and training, to promote self-sufficiency.
• Conducts referrals, assesses the needs of housing program participants, matches participants to applicable service providers, and ensures participants are linked to supportive services.

A hybrid telecommuting work schedule may be available for this position. This may revert to a regular on-site schedule depending on business needs .

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Program, as well as a strong working knowledge of interpreting and applying local policies, State and Federal regulations. They will be customer focused with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a positive, collaborative attitude.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge and/or experience in the following core competencies:

Technical Expertise

• Possession of housing industry knowledge
• Extensive experience interpreting Federal, State, and local housing regulations and policies related to the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
• Ability to interpret, understand, apply, and explain housing laws, regulations, and policies.
• Knowledge and experience with reviewing and preparing documents, procedures, correspondence and reports related to rental assistance and housing information.
• Collection, aggregation, calculation, and analysis of complex data to ensure accurate eHUD reporting, regulatory compliance, and informed program decision-making.

Verbal & Written Communication

• Effectively communicate in writing and orally, technical and complex information.
• Ability to compose complex correspondence and reports for a wide range of audiences.
• Presents information clearly and in an organized manner. Create and conduct informative presentations to the public.

Customer Focus

• Shows interest and understands the needs, expectations, and circumstances of internal and external customers.
• Explores options and pursues solutions until customers are satisfied.
• Provides a responsive, pleasant, professional service, and easy to do business with.

Organization & Planning

• Organize, plan, and structure workload in a manner, which maximizes productivity while ensuring excellent quality.
• Prioritize workload in accordance with deadlines and Department/County goals and initiatives.
• Manage time efficiently.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click hereto view the complete minimum qualifications for the Housing Specialist III classification.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all application materials for minimum and desirable qualifications. After screening, only qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Recorded Structured Oral Interview | rSOI (Weighted 100%)
Applicants will participate in a recorded interview; the recorded interview will then be rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each applicant’s rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the applicant's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedure listed above may be modified. All applicants will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please clickhere to review the policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

EMAIL NOTIFICATION
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.

Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to the Housing Specialist III recruitment, please contact Rula Dabit at [email protected] or 714.480.2884.

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).

Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information

Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.

Closing Date/Time: 5/22/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$61,318.40 - $82,659.20 Annually