Housing Programs Advisor (Region of Waterloo)


Career Opportunity 

The Region of Waterloo is currently recruiting for a:
Housing Programs Advisor

Department: Community Services
Division: Housing Services
Status: Permanent Full-Time  
Hours of Work: 35 hours per week
Location: 150 Main St., Cambridge

Our Story:

Committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations, the Region of Waterloo is an inclusive, thriving and sustainable region of connected rural and urban communities with global reach. Our mission is to serve, engage and inspire, by delivering quality services to a diverse population of 630,000+, while creating a healthy, collaborative environment of learning, respect and innovation.

This is a place where employees are valued and recognized for their talents and contributions to our success. Our employees take pride in making a difference in people's lives through the work that we do. We are looking for people like you to help make it happen.

The Opportunity:

Coordinates and administers housing programs and operating agreements with primarily non-profit and co-operative housing providers, their residents, and some private landlords. Ensures divisional objectives are met. Provides advice, guidance, and direction to housing providers and others regarding operating agreements, housing policies and programs, property management practices, and the impact of relevant legislation. Develops and implements education and outreach initiatives for housing providers. Makes recommendations regarding policy development.

Apply your Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
  • Ensures housing providers understand and comply with Regional community housing and administration policies, legislation and regulations, and general operating agreements between providers and the Region.
  • Undertakes, as part of a multi-disciplinary team, regular monitoring and periodic operational reviews to ensure housing providers are in full compliance with program requirements for financial, property and building asset management, contracts, tenant relations and governance operations, including conflicts of interest.
  • Works with housing providers regarding outstanding issues arising from operational reviews or other monitoring mechanisms to ensure housing providers develop plans to ensure full compliance with operating agreements and policies.
  • Identifies and assesses significant difficulties such as outstanding capital repair costs or financial deficits, with Manager. Develops and implements intervention strategies to resolve, up to and including termination of funding agreements.
  • Develops and recommends, and upon approval implements strategies to work with projects that do not comply with legislation and projects in difficulty to minimize risks  incurred by the Region, potentially involving forensic auditors or police investigation. In extreme cases, upon approval oversees the process for separate agreements between the Region and specific housing providers.
  • Acts as primary contact for housing providers to provide information, advice, and direction including interpretation of legislation and housing program policies.
  • Provides advice regarding property management methods and good business practices, including financial advice, preparing operating and capital budgets, interpreting financial statements, and drafting deficit reduction plans. Provides information to tenants, co-op members, agencies, and the public on legislation and programs. Investigates complaints and inquiries regarding housing provider operating practices.
  • Provides outreach services and training to housing providers on program requirements. Recommends, prepares, and develops training materials. Liaises with housing sector organizations to assist in training and professional standards of operation. Provides advice and guidance to housing provider boards on governance issues. Facilitates organizational capacity and self-sufficiency through staff/board development.
  • Provides recommendations to enhance the delivery of community housing, such as improving service standards, developing templates for operational and rent geared to income reviews, and drafting or critiquing housing policy and procedures. Attends, on behalf of the Region, committees to deal with housing program issues. Researches other municipalities' approaches to related issues. Prepares written documents for and presents findings to senior departmental staff.
  • Liaises with Ministry staff regarding provincial housing program requirements.
  • Represents the Region in discussions and negotiations with the Ministry.
  • Monitors legislation, regulations, and guidelines impacting housing programs.
  • Works with manager to monitor compliance of providers funded under the Region's Affordable Housing Strategy.
  • Works with other divisional staff to analyze legislation and regulations, implement guidelines, and prepare recommendations on housing program issues to staff,
  • Council, committees, agencies, Ministries, area municipalities, and interest groups.
  • Assists to track administrative reporting requirements. Receives confidential  information from local community housing providers and community housing residents to analyze and assist to resolve outstanding case issues.
  • Provides advice and assistance to Council.
  • Performs related duties as assigned.

Apply Your Experience at the Region of Waterloo
  • Knowledge of housing policy, programs, and rules, acquired through a degree in
  • Planning, Public Administration, Political Science, or equivalent, or a recognized property management designation (e.g., Certified Property Management, Institute of Housing Management) plus 3 years of related experience in housing program administration or housing property management.
  • Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, agreements, and legislative, program, and funding requirements (e.g., social service programs, housing and tenant acts, Planning Act, human rights, fire code, health and safety, tax). Practical knowledge of the Region’s housing and community services conditions, and rent geared to income policies, procedures, and principles.
  • Human relations and communication skills to communicate complex and politically sensitive issues to Council, senior management, staff, housing providers, agencies, and the public; deal with difficult situations with stakeholders; negotiate and recommend market rent levels, minimum rents and rent geared to income percentages with federally-funded housing providers; conduct presentations and information sessions for all levels of staff, committees, and Council; explain complex housing policies, programs, and initiatives; respond to inquiries regarding housing programs to housing providers, residents, lay and professional audiences; and participate as an effective team member
  • Ability to read and interpret Council/Committee reports, legislation and guidelines, technical proposals, policies and by-laws, and legal agreements. Ability to write concise letters, reports, articles in a timely manner.
  • Analytical, problem solving, and organizational skills to plan and develop objectives; research, develop and implement plans; and work under tight timelines. Decision-making skills to respond effectively to situations involving housing providers in violation.
  • Practical knowledge of basic accounting principles to interpret financial statements, analyze and develop budgets, and develop deficit reduction plans.
  • Knowledge of property and building asset management principles and procedures, and related preventive maintenance.
  • Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Word.
  • Ability to alter schedule to attend meetings outside normal working hours, including some weekends.
  • Ability to travel within and outside Waterloo Region.
  • Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Additional Information:

We invite all those who are interested to apply directly at this link: https://bit.ly/3R3XrMN

The deadline for applications is December 15, 2023.

In addition to offering a competitive compensation package, we have a strong focus on health and wellness, including fitness facilities and family-focused benefits.

Consideration will be given to candidates that are not fully qualified when no fully qualified applicants can be identified.

We thank all applicants in advance; however, we will be corresponding only with those selected for an interview.

The Region of Waterloo is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. At the Region, we respect, encourage and celebrate our diversity. The Region of Waterloo is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require an accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Alternate formats of this document are available upon request. Please contact the Service First Contact Centre at phone number 519-575-4400, or TTY number 519-575-4608 to request an alternate format.