Nature and Purpose
Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) is a non-profit housing agency that serves homeless, elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals and families in Boston and 29 other communities. We currently serve 11,500 tenants and property owners through our programs. We help people find and retain housing, become more economically self-sufficient, and enhance the quality of their lives.
Tasks
At MBHP, you can work in one of several departments. Five positions are outlined below, but they can be customized based on your interests.
1) HOUSING CONSUMER EDUCATION CENTER (HCEC):
The HCEC offers free services, resources, and assistance for tenants, property owners, and the public. This position will allow you to learn about housing and homelessness in Boston, interact with the clients that MBHP serves, take part in our workshops and events, and more. You will research new materials to be used as resources, help plan workshops, help administer surveys to tenants, and help with our emergency funding programs.
2) BOSTON HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION CLEARINGHOUSE:
The Clearinghouse is a new 3-year, $1.85 million program to strenthen homelessness prevention services throughout Boston. This position will allow you to help families who are on the verge of becoming homeless. You will assist clients over the phone and in person, assist families who are applying for help, and track outcomes for those who already received help.
3) INSPECTIONS:
The Inspections department at MBHP is responsible for making sure that the units in which our tenants live are safe and in good condition. The department does up to 100 inspections a day, and you would interact with both tenants and property owners. This position will allow you to learn about Section 8 and housing in Boston, the rules and regulations of our programs, interact with tenants and property owners, take part in case conferences, and more.
4) INVESTIGATIONS:
The intern in MBHP's Investigations department will assist in investigating fraud and criminal activity within our programs. This intern will help investigate causes of fraud, gather evidence against suspected parties, and take part in fraud hearings and case conferences. This is a great chance to gain first-hand knowledge of the Section 8 program and its rules and regulations.
5) MASSACHUSETTS RENTAL VOUCHER PROGRAM (MRVP) WAIT LIST:
The MRVP program helps low-income families to afford the high cost of housing in MA. Throughout MA, more than 4,000 families receive rental help from this program. You will help to open the MRVP Wait List, screen applicants, approve/deny eligibility, and answer questions about the wait list. This is a great way to learn about the crisis of affordable housing in MA.
Time Requirements
PULSE students will work two 4 hour shifts each week. MBHP's office is open Monday-Friday from 8:45AM-5PM and the HCEC is open Tuesday nights until 7pm.
Supervisors
Elizabeth Metz, Development Associate
Address
125 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 425-6767
Council Member
Laurie Monahan