Occupancy Specialist

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Occupancy Specialist is a hands-on execution role responsible for personally performing the day-to-day waitlist administration, applicant processing, certification preparation, and occupancy-related compliance work across assigned properties within the Faith Asset Management portfolio. This position works directly under the supervision of the Accounting and Compliance Manager and is the primary doer of occupancy and compliance tasks — not merely a coordinator of them.

This is a lead-by-doing role. The Occupancy Specialist is expected to complete files, process documentation, and upload required materials to the compliance portal directly. Site Administrators and Property Managers are not responsible for performing these functions; their role is limited to obtaining applicant/resident signatures and providing additional support to the Occupancy Specialist as workload requires, at the direction of the Accounting and Compliance Manager.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Waitlist & Applicant Processing

• Maintain and update property waitlists in accordance with HUD regulations and each property's Tenant Selection Plan (TSP).
• Process incoming applications and conduct eligibility screenings directly.
• Schedule and personally conduct applicant interviews and collect required documentation.
• Prepare complete applicant files for review and approval by the Accounting and Compliance Manager.
• Maintain accurate, organized waitlist and applicant records at all times.
• Request applicant/resident signatures from Site Administrators or Property Managers as needed to complete files.

2. Certifications & Compliance Portal Processing

• Track certification deadlines (120-, 90-, and 60-day notices) and proactively initiate the recertification process for each file.
• Personally prepare Annual Recertification (AR), Interim Recertification (IR), and Move-In (MI) files from start to finish.
• Collect and verify all required documentation directly; request only applicant/resident signatures from Site Administrators or Property Managers when needed.
• Upload all required certification files, supporting documentation, and recertification packets to the compliance portal accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain the compliance portal as a complete, current, and audit-ready system of record for all assigned properties.

3. Income & Third-Party Verifications

• Initiate, distribute, and track all third-party verification requests directly.
• Follow up with applicants, residents, and outside parties to ensure timely return of verifications.
• Review returned verifications for completeness and accuracy; resolve discrepancies or escalate to the Accounting and Compliance Manager as needed.
• Upload completed verifications to the compliance portal and applicant/resident files.

4. MOR & Audit Preparation

• Personally assemble and organize all documentation in preparation for Management and Occupancy Reviews (MOR).
• Ensure applicant and resident files are complete, accurate, and audit-ready prior to review.
• Confirm that all required files and documentation are uploaded and current in the compliance portal ahead of any audit or MOR.
• Provide on-site support during MOR reviews as directed by the Accounting and Compliance Manager.

5. Site Staff Interaction & Compliance Portal Management

• Request signatures from Site Administrators or Property Managers only when needed to finalize a file.
• Communicate clearly with site staff when additional support is needed due to workload, as directed by the Accounting and Compliance Manager.
• Serve as the primary user responsible for uploading, organizing, and maintaining records in the compliance portal.
• Escalate unresolved issues or missed deadlines to the Accounting and Compliance Manager promptly.

6. Reporting

• Maintain up-to-date waitlist and applicant status logs for assigned properties.
• Provide regular status updates to the Accounting and Compliance Manager on outstanding occupancy items.

SITE ADMINISTRATOR / PROPERTY MANAGER SUPPORT ROLE

To ensure clarity across roles, Site Administrators and Property Managers are not responsible for performing occupancy or compliance processing functions. Their involvement is limited to:

• Obtaining applicant or resident signatures when requested by the Occupancy Specialist.
• Providing additional support to the Occupancy Specialist only as workload requires and as directed by the Accounting and Compliance Manager.

All certification preparation, file processing, third-party verification follow-up, and compliance portal uploads are the responsibility of the Occupancy Specialist.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Experience & Knowledge

• Prior experience in affordable housing occupancy, leasing, or compliance support preferred.
• Working familiarity with HUD waitlist and certification requirements, or ability to learn quickly.
• Strong attention to detail and comfort working with documentation-heavy processes.
• Ability to manage multiple property timelines and deadlines simultaneously.
• Reliable, organized, and responsive to direction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Tenant Selection Plans (TSP) and EIV processes.
• Experience working across multiple sites or properties.
• Comfort working under the direction of a supervising manager in a small-team environment.

Pay: $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person