Alice is a Housing Specialist at Westhab. We spoke with her about her role in Westhab and how she approaches working with clients.
HSU: Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved in working at Westhab?
AJ: I started working in shelter in 2013 as a residential aide, I went on to become a shift supervisor. In 2018, I decided to apply for a Housing Specialist position. I began working for an organization in the Bronx as a Housing Specialist and when I learned that a new site would open in Manhattan, I became very interested as I had not experienced working in a shelter from the initial time of their grand opening. I thought this would be a great opportunity to meet every family from the moment they came through our doors. In addition, the commute would be better for me in light that I reside in Brooklyn.
What drew you to work in the shelter environment, and how has your experience been so far?
Throughout my life, I have always found myself taking on the role as being a supporter or the person that was needed to assist individuals in need. I went back to school to obtain my degree in Human Service Management to pave my way. I went to apply for a job and the person assisting me with my resume said to me I have the perfect job for you, and it was being a Residential Aide at a shelter. From the time I entered shelter I knew that this is where I wanted to be and I continued to grow with learning and helping. My experience has been great, I look forward to working with the families and assisting them in transitioning into permanent housing.
Have you faced any particular challenges while working here, and how have you overcome them?
I believe that every day is a challenge when you are trying to achieve more than you did the day before, i.e. finding more apartments, pleasing more families with their desired location for permanency. I am a person who stays persistent with the landlords, brokers, and DHS assuring that my families get the help they need and a suitable place to live in with their children.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My typical day starts with answering emails that I have received overnight. I then log into the system to check the status of the apartment packages submitted to see if they were approved. Afterward, I provide an update to the landlords or brokers. Also, I review my cases to see if I received any updated vouchers; this is one of the greatest feelings, to see vouchers in the system giving our families the ability to begin their apartment search. Furthermore, my next step is to look over the scheduled meetings with the families for the day which allows me to prepare prior to our meeting
Are there specific tasks or roles within your position that you feel particularly passionate about or find most rewarding?
The most rewarding part of my position delivering good news to my families such as:
- Informing them their voucher has arrived.
- Reaching out to tell them about apartment viewings dates.
- Letting the families know they were accepted for the apartment they liked.
- Handing the families their apartment keys and looking at the smiles on their faces while remembering that once upon a time, these families had no exit plan but now, they have a lease, their keys and joy in their hearts.
How do you build rapport and trust with residents at the shelter, especially in those first few interactions?
I always start off with letting the family know that I am here for them; I am part of their support system. Furthermore, my job is to take them through the needed steps to reach the ultimate goal which is housing and with that, multiple meetings take place including workshops to discuss housing further.
I assure the families that I will work hand in hand with them to guide them. In addition, I assure them that I will work diligently to seek and secure the best apartment for them. The overall goal is for my families to have confidence in my work knowing that I will give my best efforts to work with them.
What kind of positive feedback or reactions have you received about your role?
I have dealt with families who have had their own apartment before, to those who never lived on their own. My greatest joy is when the family leaves and they reach back to let me know that they are so happy with their apartment and sharing their thoughts about being in shelter and thinking shelter would affect their kids but realized that was not the case.
Oftentimes, families are very thankful when I’ve been able to link them to a bigger apartment with more space than what they expected and in other cases, families have shed tears of joy while being very thankful for the support; these experiences and feedback allows me to work harder for my families.
What are your future goals or aspirations, both professionally and personally?
My goals and aspirations are to continue to house more and more families; I truly believe this is my calling. I continue to look forward to increasing my move outs and achieving more than just what it’s expected; going above and beyond the call of duty.
What is the most important thing to consider when working in the shelter?
The most important thing to consider in shelter is patience, providing a listening ear and acknowledging that the families are going through a rough patch in life; meeting them where they are at meaning, starting with baby steps should that be the need.
Lastly, remembering that one person cannot do everything; it takes a village, it takes a strong team, it takes developing an exit strategy and at times, more than one strategy but overall, it starts by listening to the families to gain and understanding on how they got to experiencing homelessness followed by empowering them and taking them through the different steps needed to reach their goal—permanent housing for the parents and their children.
Learn more about Alice’s and Westhab’s work by visiting westhab.org. Are you an HSU member and want to highlight a staff member working in shelter? Please email Victoria Leahy at vleahy@hsunited.org.