Post job

How to hire a housing assistant

Housing assistant hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring housing assistants in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a housing assistant is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new housing assistant to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a housing assistant, step by step

To hire a housing assistant, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a housing assistant:

Here's a step-by-step housing assistant hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a housing assistant job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new housing assistant
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
jobs
Post a housing assistant job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your housing assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a housing assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A housing assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, housing assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list shows salaries for various types of housing assistants.

    Type of Housing AssistantDescriptionHourly rate
    Housing AssistantSocial and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.$11-29
    Assistance CoordinatorAn assistant coordinator is a person who offers operational and clerical support to the senior coordinators. The duties and responsibilities of assistant coordinators include communication with employers or clients, a delegation of tasks to team members, and the collaboration with finance teams and fund allocation... Show more$13-26
    Housing CoordinatorA housing coordinator is a professional who is responsible for helping employed or unemployed individuals find and secure temporary or permanent accommodations. Housing coordinators working in the nonprofit sector must help people who are in need, such as low-income families, refugees, and domestic violence victims, to find affordable living arrangements... Show more$14-26
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Housing Assistance
    • Customer Service
    • Rental Assistance
    • Front Desk
    • House Maintenance
    • Patient Care
    • Social Services
    • Emergency Situations
    • Background Checks
    • Conflict Resolution
    • Meal Preparation
    • HUD
    • Incident Reports
    • CPR
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage vocational and rehabilitation services deliver to homeless unemploy, veterans, victims of domestic violence, transgender and ex-offender populations.
    • Perform a variety of general administrative tasks, perform correspondence and reports, maintain clients files according to HUD regulations.
    • Maintain client records as required by HUD policy and regulations and perform an interim annual review to determine continuing eligibility.
    • Used platforms like SharePoint and AccuTrack to facilitate appointment creation, appointment cancellations, and provide detail information about appointment availability.
    • Used platforms like SharePoint and AccuTrack to facilitate appointment creation, appointment cancellations, and provide detail information about appointment availability.
    More housing assistant duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your housing assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A housing assistant can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, housing assistants' average salary in nebraska is 58% less than in district of columbia.
    • Seniority. Entry-level housing assistants 61% less than senior-level housing assistants.
    • Certifications. A housing assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a housing assistant's salary.

    Average housing assistant salary

    $38,837yearly

    $18.67 hourly rate

    Entry-level housing assistant salary
    $24,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 14, 2025

    Average housing assistant salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$50,020$24
    2New York$47,624$23
    3Massachusetts$46,953$23
    4Virginia$43,467$21
    5Hawaii$43,133$21
    6Ohio$42,011$20
    7Iowa$40,511$19
    8Illinois$39,740$19
    9Minnesota$39,185$19
    10Texas$38,869$19
    11Wisconsin$38,491$19
    12Washington$38,380$18
    13Kansas$37,871$18
    14Colorado$37,613$18
    15Oregon$35,932$17
    16Georgia$35,372$17
    17Indiana$35,224$17
    18Missouri$34,113$16
    19Michigan$30,162$15
    20Idaho$29,559$14

    Average housing assistant salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1U.S. Bank$56,381$27.11
    2Thrive Behavioral Health$55,769$26.812
    3UPS$51,185$24.611
    4California Institute of Technology$50,962$24.501
    5Hyatt Hotels$50,684$24.37
    6Bridgewater State University$46,754$22.48
    7International Rescue Committee$45,713$21.98
    8University at Buffalo$44,097$21.205
    9CARE$40,226$19.34
    10Cape Cod Healthcare$40,219$19.345
    11American Campus Communities$39,974$19.2210
    12University of Nebraska System$39,699$19.09
    13The Philadelphia Coalition$39,165$18.835
    14East House$37,545$18.058
    15Sea Mar Community Health Centers$37,326$17.95
    16The State of Oregon$37,221$17.895
    17King County Housing Authority$37,150$17.862
    18Rbscc$36,885$17.731
    19Samaritan Health Services Inc$36,668$17.63
    20Xponential Fitness$36,566$17.58
  4. Writing a housing assistant job description

    A good housing assistant job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a housing assistant job description:

    Housing assistant job description example

    Posting Date: 10/13/2022

    Reports To: Property Manager

    Hours: FT 8am – 5pm

    Pay Range: $ 18.79-22.55

    Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, retirement, long term disability, vacation & sick leave

    Position type: Non-exempt. Unionized position, represented by Local 8 of the Office of Professional

    Employees International Union (OPEIU).

    The Housing Assistant will carry out such duties as needed and directed by the Property Manager including customer service, collecting rents and recording financial information into property management software; working with applicants and residents to complete eligibility paperwork; coordinating with utility and repair vendors; and administrative work and other duties as assigned.

    Responsibilities:

    1. Assist with administrative duties that are related to the operating of the property including rent collection, recording financial information, and making daily deposits.

    2. Assist with preparation of spreadsheets, grants, funding applications, correspondence and reports as they relate to the housing programs.

    3. Answer questions, phone inquiries and screen calls as needed.

    4. Photocopy, process transmittals/mailings and other office duties.

    5. Coordinate with vendors to do repairs; forward maintenance request forms to LIHI’s maintenance department; track maintenance tickets.

    6. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

    Qualifications:

    1. A minimum of two years of related work.

    2. Excellent written and verbal communication; works well without direct supervision.

    3. Working knowledge of computers and Microsoft Office.

    4. Ability to work with a diverse community.

    5. Must pass criminal background and drug screening.

    New hires must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by their start date; except where accommodations are required by law. Proof of COVID-19 vaccine is required unless an accommodation is made.

    The Low Income Housing Institute is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified members of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply. LIHI participates in the e-verify system.

    About us:

    The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) has a 30-year history and track record of owning and managing low-income housing; developing innovative solutions to homelessness; advocating for housing justice; providing supportive services; and operating hygiene services for homeless people at our Urban Rest Stops. LIHI staff have developed over 4,500 affordable housing units and manages over 2,500 units including rental housing, permanent supportive housing and transitional housing. The populations served include: families, singles, seniors, veterans, young adults, immigrants, low wage workers, and people living with physical and mental disabilities. LIHI is one of the largest nonprofit housing organizations in the state. Our properties are located in Seattle, King County, and five adjacent counties. LIHI is a national leader in sponsoring tiny house villages as a crisis solution to homelessness. Annually, the tiny house villages and shelters serve 1,000 homeless people and our hygiene programs serve over 8,000 homeless people. LIHI is a BIPOC organization committed to anti-displacement, equitable development, and social racial justice. LIHI staff is collaborative, dynamic, and dedicated to taking bold steps in ending homelessness and creating supportive communities for people to thrive.

  5. Post your job

    To find the right housing assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with housing assistants they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit housing assistants who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your housing assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit housing assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit housing assistants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new housing assistant

    Once you have selected a candidate for the housing assistant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    To prepare for the new housing assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a housing assistant?

Recruiting housing assistants involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $38,837 per year for a housing assistant, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for housing assistants in the US typically range between $11 and $29 an hour.

Find better housing assistants in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring housing assistants FAQs

Search for housing assistant jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse community and social services jobs