Landlord Engagement Specialist

The Landlord Engagement Specialist is responsible for developing and maintaining a robust portfolio of housing opportunities throughout the City of Los Angeles for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This position focuses on landlord outreach, relationship development, and identification of available rental units that meet program eligibility and Fair Market Rent (FMR) requirements.

Rather than maintaining a client caseload, the Landlord Engagement Specialist builds and sustains partnerships with property owners, property management companies, brokers, and housing providers to expand housing inventory for TLS participants within the city of Los Angeles. This role collaborates closely with Case Managers, Housing Navigators, and Landlord Relations staff to support rapid housing placement and long-term housing stability outcomes.

Primary Job Responsibilities

Landlord Engagement

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with landlords, property management companies, developers, and real estate professionals throughout the City of Los Angeles.
• Network with housing coalitions, community organizations, service providers and local real-estate groups to expand housing opportunities.
• Conduct proactive outreach through networking, cold-calling, property visits, community events, and industry partnerships to identify new housing opportunities.
• Coordinate landlord recruitment strategies and participate in landlord engagement and appreciation events.
• Maintain complete and accurate documentation of service objectives and outcomes in accordance with federal, state, county and HOM guidelines.

Unit Identification & Market Analysis

• Maintain accurate housing inventory listings and provide real-time availability updates to program teams and community partners.
• Conduct rental market analyses and comparables to confirm units meet Fair Market Rent (FMR) and program payment standards.
• Support housing acquisition planning by identifying emerging rental trends and opportunities in targeted neighborhoods.
• Review available units to ensure program eligibility and housing quality expectations are met.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of available housing units for TLS participants in Los Angeles City jurisdiction.

Program Coordination & Housing Placement Support

• Collaborate with community partners to match TLS clients to available housing opportunities within the city of Los Angeles.
• Support coordination of property inspections and lease-up processes in partnership with internal HOM teams.
• Provide technical assistance to landlords and community partners regarding program requirements, leasing processes, and program benefits
• Maintain communication with landlords throughout lease-up to support successful placements.
• Network with housing coalitions, community organizations, and service providers to expand housing opportunities.
• Support cross-agency collaboration to strengthen housing placement systems.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate documentation of landlord contacts, unit availability, and housing placement outcomes in Padmission Connect.
• Ensure compliance with Federal, State, County, and City program requirements.
• Produce regular report outs on housing portfolio and placement outcomes to inform housing acquisition strategies and program operations.
• Maintain confidentiality and properly handle protected client and landlord information.
• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and professional development activities.
• Support special projects related to housing acquisition and landlord engagement.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

• Demonstrated high level of skill with interpersonal relationships and communication.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating rental agreements, lease terms, and housing program participation with private landlords and property management companies in competitive rental markets.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and documentation accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to plan while addressing immediate needs.
• High level of discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive information.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability for work processes and outcomes.

Other Requirements

• Strong knowledge of the Los Angeles rental housing market.
• Strong knowledge of Fair Housing laws and regulations at the Federal, State, and local levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications including SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Planner, Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.
• Strong organizational skills with aptitude for project management and multitasking to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Knowledgeable of CA Landlord Tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Ability to adapt to changing housing markets and program requirements.
• Ability to lift to 30 lbs. on a regular basis.

Education and Experience

• Ability to work with individuals experiencing homelessness and demonstrate understanding of Housing First principles.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in housing navigation, landlord engagement, property management, real estate, or related field required.
• Associate’s and/or bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred; relevant professional experience will be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Experience working with homelessness programs or housing subsidy programs strongly preferred