Description

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO READ THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR THIS POSITION.

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The City of Torrance recognizes the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members. If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to the City of Torrance today.

The City of Torrance is seeking an experienced and dedicated Housing Specialist to be part of the Community Development Department Team!

The Department

The Community Development Department oversees a number of divisions including Building & Safety, Engineering, Planning, Neighborhood Services, and the Geographic Information System (GIS) Divisions. The Neighborhood Services Division is responsible for providing a variety of services and resources to the community including Code Enforcement, Housing, and Special Programs/Homeless Services. The Division strives to maintain a clean, safe, attractive community through information, compliance, and service.

The Position

The Community Development Department is seeking an experienced Housing Specialist with knowledge of the HUD Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program and extensive experience in administering the program at the local government level. The Housing Specialist's primary functions include Housing Program administration, eligibility assessment, re-assessments, and housing inspections. This position will also monitor program compliance with federal law and regulations, recommend revisions to City ordinances related to housing assistance, develop, coordinate, and evaluate programs to address homelessness, conduct group or individual briefings and/or presentations, and performs related duties as assigned.

For more information about the duties of the position, click here.

QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES

Education And Experience

Any combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge and skills required is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills would be:

Graduation from high school or possession of a GED Certificate; and one year of experience in a housing assistance program.

An Associate Degree or sixty (60) or more college units from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, business administration, social services, or a closely related field, is desirable.

License and/or Certificates

Must possess and maintain a valid California Class C driver’s license.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate, in addition to the minimum requirements, will possess:

Extensive experience in Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspections, processes, and procedures;
Excellent public contact and interpersonal skills;
Strong attention to detail and a demonstrated ability to accurately enter and maintain detailed housing data, ensuring error-free records and consistent adherence to program requirements and timelines;
Thorough understanding of privacy protocols and a proven track record of managing sensitive client data;
Outstanding customer service skills;
Exceptional verbal and written communication; and
The ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple projects, work independently, and shift priorities as needed.

How To Apply & Exam Process

Interested candidates must submit an online application and supplemental questionnaire at www.TorranceCA.Gov/Jobs. First review of applications will be those received by Monday, February 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Application submission will be accepted on a continuous basis until the position is filled. If a sufficient number of qualified applications are received by the first review date, there is the possibility that the recruitment may close at that time.

Only Those Candidates Who Best Meet The City And Department's Needs Will Be Invited To Participate In The Examination Process, Which Will Consist Of The Following:

Oral Exam: 100% (Tentatively scheduled on Tuesday, February 25, 2025)

SPECIAL NOTES

Visit www.TorranceCA.Govto find out more information about the City of Torrance.

The City of Torrance Conflict of Interest Code requires that employees in this classification file an annual Financial Disclosure Statement. Information about this requirement may be obtained from the City Clerk's office.

Applicants with disabilities who require special testing arrangements must contact Human Resources prior to the examination date(s). If you have a disability for which you require an accommodation, please contact us at (310) 618-2915 prior to the test date.

As a condition of employment, candidates must pass a background check.

The provisions of this announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract, and any provisions contained in this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice.

City of Torrance Inclusion Statement

The City of Torrance is a welcoming and culturally-rich community. As a pillar of public service, we strive to be an employer of choice by attracting and retaining a talented workforce where people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions, and lifestyles are valued. Our mission is to create an inclusive environment where our staff are empowered to perform at their highest level and contribute towards making a positive impact.

The City is an equal opportunity employer and works towards building collaborative teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. Come join us to help cultivate a workplace that welcomes and celebrates the diversity of our employees!

BENEFIT SUMMARY FOR ENGINEERS & TORRANCE FISCAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (TFEA)

Note: Not all benefits listed may be applicable to all positions with in the unit. Please refer to the MOU for specifics.

Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance (sec.4.9)

The City's monthly contribution for health insurance effective 1/6/19 is as follows:

EE Only EE +1 EE +2 or more

Full time EE's $597.68 $1,140.36 $1,595.96

Part- time

(hired prior to 1/1/08) $493.11 $924.91 $1,277.43

Part-time

(hired after 1/1/08) $362.57 $628.31 $847.19

The City's monthly contribution for vision insurance is $3.33

The City's monthly contribution for dental insurance is $33.71/EE only and $67.42/EE +1 or more

The City provides a Cash In-Lieu payment of $400 per month for eligible full-time employees for as long as the employee opts-out of medical coverage

City provides a $50,000 life insurance policy

Premium Pay (sec. 3.1)

Varies by position and assignment. (See section 3.1 and 3.2)

Night Shift Differential (sec.3.2.1 and 3.5.1)

Full time employees paid 5% above base hourly pay when ½ or more of the shift is scheduled to work after 5:00 p.m. or before 7:30 a.m.

Educational Incentive Premiums (sec. 3.6.1)

ENGINEERS: (Premiums paid above base pay, per hour. Total educational premiums not to exceed 12% combined)

International Code Council (ICC) certificate: 4%
2% for each additional certificate, maximum of 12%
Loss of 2% for each year's delay for failure to maintain certification
LEED AP certificates (LEED AP, LEED AP BD+C, LED AP Homes, LEED AP ND): 2.5%
Build It Green Certification (Green Point Advisor, Green Point Rater): 2.5%

Holidays (Sec 4.1)

13 paid holidays (New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday directly following Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve)

Vacation/Annual Leave (Sec. 4.2)

Engineers (Accrual Rate Per Month):

Year 1: 6.58 hours; Year 2: 7.21 hours; Year 3: 7.87 hours; Year 4: 8.54 hours; Years 5-6: 10.54 hours; Years 7 -9: 11.21 hours; Years 10 -20: 14.56 hours; Years 21 – 24: 15.88 hours; Year 25+: 18.54 hours

TFEA (Accrual Rate Per Month):

Year 1: 6.57 hours; Year 2: 7.51 hours; Year 3: 8.17 hours; Year 4: 8.84 hours; Years 5-9: 10.84 hours; Years 10 -20: 14.19 hours; Years 21 – 24: 15.51 hours; Year 25+: 16.17 hours

Sick Leave/ Personal Leave (sec.4.3)

Accrual rate is 6 (six) hours per month to a maximum of 600 hours accrued sick leave. *Two work shifts of sick/vacation leave may be used for personal leave.

Bereavement Leave (sec 4.6)

Three (3) working shifts with pay (Additional leave, up to 2 additional working shifts for travel 300 miles or more for eligible family members)

Disability Insurance (sec 4.9)

Employee receives 2/3 base pay after elimination period (14 consecutive days for STD and 180 consecutive days for LTD)

Retiree Insurance (Sec. 4.9)

TFEA only: City will pay $51/month for retirees who continue health insurance coverage in one of the PERS health insurance plans

Retirement (sec. 4.10)

PERS 2%@55,

Employees hired before 1/11/2011, City pays 7% EPMC*

Employees hired on or after 1/11/2011 pay 7% EPMC*

Employer Paid Member Contribution (EPMC) PERS 2@62 "New members" hired on or after January 1, 2013, pay (50%) of normal cost with three year average final compensation.

Uniform Allowance (sec. 4.11.1)

FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER & SENIOR FIRE PREVENTION OFFICER ONLY:

$107.50 every 6 months (Paid June and December).

Tool and Educational Materials Allowance (sec.4.12.1)

ENGINEERS ONLY:

$175 per year (Paid in February).

Licenses and Certificates (sec. 4.14.1)

ENGINEERS ONLY:

$220/year for license/certificates with recurrent fees: Registered Professional Engineer, Licensed Land Surveyor, and American Institute of Certified Planners.

Shoe Allowance (4.15.1)

ENGINEERS ONLY:

$135 per year (Paid in September) for employees required to wear safety shoes or boots

Deferred Compensation Plan (Sec. 4.13.B)

A voluntarily 457 plan is available to all employees.

Employees are automatically enrolled in the 401(a) plan upon completion of one year service.

Retirement Health Savings Plan (sec 4.13.C)

Any hours under or equal to 600 (sick) and 600 (vacation) will be deposited into the ICMA-RC RHSP Plan, for retiring and separating employees. The remaining balance up to limits allowed by law will be disbursed into the City's 457 plan or be paid in cash.

01

The following supplemental questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications for the position for which you are applying. Resumes are encouraged but will NOT be used in lieu of the application or supplemental questions. Please read each question carefully and provide a thorough and complete response. Do NOT state "see resume" or "see application" to respond to any of the following questions. Failure to respond to all questions will be considered an incomplete application and may not be considered for further processing. Do you understand the foregoing?

02

What is your highest level of education completed?

High School Diploma or GED
Some College Coursework
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree or above

03

Do you possess an Associate Degree or higher from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, business administration, social services, or a closely related field?

04

If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, please indicate your field of study. If you answered "No" to the previous question, please type "N/A".

05

Indicate your experience working in a housing assistance program.

None
Less than one year
More than one year, but less than two years
More than two years

06

Please describe in detail your experience with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Tenant Based rental housing assistant programs, such as Section 8, EHV, & HUD-VASH. If no experience, please type "N/A".

Required Question

City of Torrance

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HOUSING SPECIALIST (AT-WILL)