Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Policy Analyst or Staff Attorney (Healthcare and Housing)

at Homebase

🏢 About Homebase

Homebase is a national nonprofit committed to ending homelessness through data-driven policy, technical assistance, and cross-sector partnerships. Unlike many organizations, they focus on systemic solutions rather than direct service, making them a unique place for policy-minded professionals to drive large-scale change.

About This Role

This role bridges healthcare and housing policy, requiring you to lead the creation of tools and strategies that integrate health and homelessness systems. You will work with diverse stakeholders—from local providers to national policymakers—to scale best practices and influence systemic change.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve a morning call with a state Medicaid agency to discuss a new integration pilot, followed by drafting a policy brief on housing-related healthcare costs. Afternoon could include a virtual meeting with a coalition of homeless service providers to co-design a toolkit, and time reserved for analyzing data on health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Homebase

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Homebase Is Looking For

  • Has a graduate degree (MPA, MPP, MSW, JD) with 8+ years leading complex projects, ideally at the intersection of health and housing.
  • Demonstrates deep expertise in cross-systems strategies (e.g., Medicaid-HUD partnerships, social determinants of health).
  • Possesses exceptional communication skills, including public speaking and writing for diverse audiences (policymakers, providers, advocates).
  • Thrives in a remote, collaborative environment and can manage multiple projects with tight deadlines.

📝 Tips for Applying to Homebase

1

Tailor your resume to highlight cross-sector experience (e.g., healthcare and housing/homelessness systems) and quantify project outcomes.

2

In your cover letter, reference Homebase's specific tools (e.g., their data dashboards or policy briefs) and explain how your work aligns with their mission.

3

Submit a writing sample that demonstrates policy analysis or technical assistance, ideally on health-housing integration.

4

If you have lived experience with homelessness, consider mentioning it briefly and professionally to underscore your commitment.

5

Address the remote work aspect: briefly note your experience working independently and collaborating across time zones.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Emphasize your expertise in cross-systems work (healthcare and housing) and concrete examples of partnerships you've built.", 'Show understanding of policy levers (e.g., Medicaid waivers, HUD programs) that can drive integration.', 'Highlight your ability to translate complex ideas into actionable tools for local and national audiences.', 'Express genuine interest in Homebase’s approach—systemic change rather than direct service—and how you can contribute.']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Homebase's recent publications on health-housing partnerships (e.g., their 'Health and Housing' briefs).
  • → Understand their technical assistance model: how they work with communities to implement best practices.
  • → Look into current federal initiatives (e.g., CMS Accountable Health Communities, HUD's Housing as Health) to contextualize the role.
  • → Check their blog or news section for recent projects or partnerships to discuss in your application.
Visit Homebase's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you influenced a policy change at the intersection of health and housing.
2 How would you approach building a partnership between a Medicaid managed care plan and a Continuum of Care?
3 What are the biggest barriers to health-housing integration, and how would you address them?
4 Tell us about a project where you had to manage multiple stakeholders with conflicting priorities.
5 How do you ensure your written products (briefs, toolkits) are accessible to both policymakers and practitioners?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention healthcare or housing integration specifically.
  • Overemphasizing direct service experience without connecting it to policy or systems change.
  • Failing to demonstrate familiarity with key stakeholders (e.g., HUD, CMS, state Medicaid agencies, local CoCs).

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Homebase!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →