- Salary
- $6k – $9k/mo
- Location
- City Hall, CA, CA
- Type
- Full-time
- Seniority
- Senior
- Closing date
- Today
- Source
- GovernmentJobs
Description
The City of Garden Grove is now accepting applications for the position of
SENIOR HOUSING SPECIALIST / HOUSING SPECIALIST
Deadline to apply for this recruitment is Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
Click here to apply online: Join Our Team
Under general supervision, the Senior Housing Specialist and Housing Specialist positions perform various duties required to administer housing programs offered by the Garden Grove Housing Authority.
The ideal Housing Specialist candidate will possess:
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills to interact with a variety of people;
- Excellent written and oral communication skills;
- The capability to independently prioritize and handle multiple projects; and
- Critical thinking skills to quickly resolve problems with available tools and resources.
The ideal Senior Housing Specialist candidate will possess all the above, and:
- Strong knowledge of housing inspection standards, HUD Housing Quality Standards (HQS), Section 8 program requirements, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations;
- Experience supervising staff, conducting quality control reviews, addressing performance deficiencies, and providing additional training and guidance;
- Experience investigating suspected fraud, housing code violations, and program noncompliance;
- Strong negotiation, conflict resolution, and communication skills when working with landlords, property owners, tenants, and staff; and
- knowledge of how to mantain accurate records, prepare technical reports, and ensure consistent enforcement of housing standards and regulations.
There is currently two (2) full-time vacancies in the Housing Authority Division of the Economic and Development and Housing Department. The eligibility list from this recruitment will be used to fill this, and future vacancies, so apply now!
HOUSING SPECIALIST ($5,406 - $7,987 monthly)
Essential Duties- Interpret federal, state and local regulations for lower-level staff, to property owners and to program participants
- Prepare a variety of correspondence and reports
- Represent the City in meetings with groups and/or individuals to provide information and counsel owners and tenants on program requirements
- Explain programs to applicants and participants
- Conduct eligibility and recertification interviews with program applicants and participants
- Conduct unit inspections for Housing Quality Standards and City codes
- Maintain records and files
- Compile routine reports
- May be required to work overtime
- Negotiate contract rent with landlords
- Perform related duties as assigned
SENIOR HOUSING SPECIALIST ($5,970 - $8,821 monthly)
In addition to the above, Senior Housing Specialists:- Assign, review, and/or conduct eligibility interviews and unit inspections
- Perform quality control reviews of HQS inspections and execution of HAP contracts
- Conduct preliminary fraud investigations
- Conduct housing briefings
- Responsible for monthly MTCS transmissions and corrections
- Conduct preliminary negotiations with owners to establish rents and improvements
- Prepare termination packets for hearings
- Assist in budget preparation and grant applications
- Administer special housing programs
- Perform related duties as assigned
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
HOUSING SPECIALIST: Two (2) years of experience in housing, social services, welfare administration, or a related field with an emphasis on public contact including interviewing, case management, or investigations and one (1) year (minimum 30 semester units) college coursework in public administration, social services, business administration, or a related field.
SENIOR HOUSING SPECIALIST: Two (2) years of experience working with Section 8 programs and two (2) years (minimum 60 semester units) college coursework in public administration, social services, business administration, or a related field.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Must possess a valid California class C driver license and an acceptable driving record. An acceptable driving record is one that has three (3) or fewer DMV points issued within the past five (5) years, and no more than one (1) DUI within the past ten (10) years.
Bilingual Korean, Spanish, or Vietnamese is highly desirable.
KNOWLEDGE OF:
Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations and procedures; Section 8 Rental Assistance programs; building codes and federal Housing Quality Standards; effective interview and negotiation techniques, counseling principles and practices; the range and type of social services provided by various public agencies; customer service practices and principles; and Microsoft Word and Excel computer programs.
ABILITY TO:
Perform property inspections, including visually discern detail accurately, and crawling, climbing, squatting, stooping and/or bending over in dusty or dirty surroundings in order to complete inspections properly; interview, counsel and evaluate applicants for housing assistance and make sound analyses and evaluations on eligibility based upon learned program criteria and related local, state and federal regulations; negotiate effectively and diplomatically with property owners; perform arithmetic calculations and use basic principles of math and record keeping; use a PC or a hand-held computer to input data and capture information, generate appropriate business correspondence, maintain records and create reports; create and maintain well-organized, confidential files and records; read, write, speak, follow oral and written instructions, and present information to groups; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish effective relationships and provide good customer service to all encountered in the course of work; work independently with minimal supervision; respond appropriately and empathetically to clients, and work well with Garden Grove's diverse citizens.
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. Incumbents in this classification sit; use hands or wrists repetitively with twisting or pressure; speak clearly; hear normal voice conversation; use visual depth perception; distinguish shades and colors; see small details; operate office equipment related to job duties; work on a personal computer; type or use 10-key; and use a telephone.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment described here is representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Incumbents in this classification either work in an office environment with frequent public contact, or alternatively, perform field inspection work which may necessitate working in confined, dirty and/or unhealthful conditions in all types of weather.
HOW TO APPLY
Online applications can be completed by visiting: www.ggcity.org/hr. City Hall is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and every other Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Online application packets must include:
- a completed online employment application
- a completed supplemental questionnaire
The job application and supplemental questionnaire must be completely filled out. Be sure to detail any education, training, or other relevant course work that would make you a particularly strong candidate.
Only those who appear to have the best qualifications will be invited to continue in the selection process. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to further testing.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process may consist of:
- Oral panel interview - tentatively scheduled for December 10, 2026
CANDIDATES WILL ONLY RECEIVE COMMUNICATION THROUGH EMAIL. Candidates should check their email, including spam, for all notices regarding their status.
If there are any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected].
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
Candidates who may need accommodations during the selection process must contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] at least one week prior to any test dates.
NEPOTISM POLICY
The City has adopted a Nepotism Policy that may affect the status of a candidate's application. Please refer to the Garden Grove Municipal Code 2.44.440 Nepotism Policy for more information.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The City of Garden Grove is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, marital status, religion, ancestry, national origin, medical condition, non-disqualifying disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, military/veteran status, or other protected class covered by appropriate law.
DISASTER SERVICE WORKER
Per Government Code 3100, in the event of a disaster, employees of the City of Garden Grove are considered disaster service workers and may be asked to respond accordingly.
Skills
ExcelCustomer ServiceNegotiation