Closing: Monday, September 23nd, 2025, 9:00 PM [PST] OR When 150 Applications Are Received

Position: Senior Technical Assistant – Homeless Outreach

Department: Lancaster Police Department 

Hourly Range: $27.06-$31.32

Classification: Temporary

FLSA: Non-Exempt – Overtime Eligible

Job Summary:

Performs a variety of duties related to locating, engaging, and assisting unhoused population obtain critical services. This position is funded by Measure A through the County of Los Angeles. The City and County will evaluate the effectiveness of the position on an annual basis to determine the next fiscal year’s funding level. Either party may terminate funding for the position at the end of each fiscal year, resulting in termination of the position.

Under the general supervision of the Homeless Coordinator, the Senior Technical Assistant Homeless Outreach conducts intensive street and field outreach to identify and serve people experiencing homelessness (PEH), across all populations. The Project Assistant connects PEH to essential resources such as housing, health care, benefits, and emergency services. This role includes working closely with homeless community and in coordination with Homeless and Community Safety Liaison teams. This role builds relationships with the unhoused population, connects them to critical services, and partners with service providers and emergency responders to streamline services and provide a continuum of care. This position is integral to the City’s efforts in encampment resolution, quality of life improvements, and the coordination of community-based responses to homelessness. The Senior Technical Assistant- Homeless Outreach will primarily work in the field, with occasional duties performed in an office setting.

The Senior Technical Assistant – Homeless Outreach serves as a vital connector between the unhoused population, community-based organizations, and City departments to promote public safety, housing placement, and a coordinated continuum of care.

This position will require a thorough background check to include a background investigation and live scan.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Conducts field investigations to locate and engage unhoused population in the city and desert.
• Engage in outreach across various settings including encampments, parks, hospitals, shelters, and referrals from community stakeholders.
• Enforces the Lancaster Municipal Code related to un-permitted camping, lodging, and sleeping in public streets, public-owned property, and in public parks and other prohibited public places, and protection of critical infrastructure and wildfire risk areas, which may include citing vehicles, and removal of illegally parked vehicles.
• Under supervision of the Homeless Coordinator works with the Los Angles Homeless Services Authority and other County agencies and local service providers to connect unhoused individuals with homeless services.
• Answers quality of life complaints issued by city residents as it relates to the unhoused.
• Respond to quality-of-life complaints from City residents and businesses related to the unhoused.
• Maintains files, databases, daily logs, and records related to outreach and service referrals; utilizes records to prepare a variety of written reports, memoranda, and correspondence.
• Maintain outreach logs and provide reports on engagement and referrals.
• Conducts homeless abatement measures including:
  • Documenting operation plans and after-action reports
  • Collecting, booking, and tracking found property
  • Coordinating daily tasks with team members and outreach workers
  • Coordinating with law enforcement and cleanup contractors
• Assist with developing and updating outreach protocols, abatement procedures, and training materials.
• Represent the City of Lancaster at local community meetings, resource fairs, and outreach events.
• Respond to citizen reports and coordinate services for persons experiencing homelessness at encampments or other locations within the City.
• Assist in identifying immediate or temporary safe placements for housed individuals and coordinate access to crisis shelter and permanent housing through coordinated entry.
• Attend case conferences and interagency coordination meetings to support collaborative problem-solving and service continuity.
• Act as a City ambassador, maintaining professionalism and compassion when engaging with the public and vulnerable populations.
• Transport unhoused to shelters.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

The duties listed above are not intended to be all-inclusive.  An employee may also perform other related duties as assigned by their immediate supervisor.  This position is considered non-exempt.

Required Skills:

• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage respectfully and effectively with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Deal tactfully and effectively with staff, the public, and outside agencies

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be comfortable working directly with individuals experiencing homelessness in field-based settings.
• Homeless outreach or services background desired as the position requires engaging with and providing services to unhoused population.
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for acceptable job performance

Core Competencies:

• Problem Solving – Analytically and logically evaluating information
• Learning Agility – Seeking learning opportunities and applying the lessons to work
• Handling Stress – Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Professional Integrity & Ethics – Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Safety Focus – Showing Vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Customer Focus – Attending to the Needs and expectations of customers
• Informing – Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Teamwork – Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Valuing Diversity – Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace
• Allocating Resources – Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness

Guiding Principles

1. Put people first.
2. Be visionary.
3. Be an ambassador for Lancaster.
4. Be Fiscally Responsible.
5. Be Creative.
6. Always Improving.
7. Be Adaptable and Resilient.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Ascend/Descend stairs/ladders/balance (moderate)
• Position self to bend or twist (frequent)
• To move, transport, position items up to 50 lbs. (moderate)
• Operate vehicle (frequent)
• Stationary or squatting position (frequent)

Environmental Factors:

• Work under time pressure (moderate to frequent)
• Exposed to outdoor weather conditions (frequent)

Essential Cognitive Functions:

• Analyze (continuous) 
• Computations (frequent)  
• Generate Written Work Product (moderate)   
• Independent Problem Solving (continuous)   
• Interruptions (frequent) 
• Maintain Positive Public Relations (continuous)  
• Organize (frequent)

Disaster Service Worker:

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 3100-3109, all public employees are declared disaster service workers subject to disaster service activities as may be assigned to them in the event of fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disaster

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time; 

The City of Lancaster will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the City of Lancaster is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting www.dfeh.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/. 

The City of Lancaster is an Equal Opportunity Employer.