Regional Housing + Land Use: Planner II or Senior Planner

Description

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) seeks candidates for the position Planner II or Senior Planner in Regional Housing + Land Use to join the agency’s Housing Working Group within the Land Use Department. Especially given the impact of the COVID emergency on people’s work and home schedules, the hiring team is open to considering candidates for either full-time or part-time employment.

The ideal candidate has a passion for housing as a tool to advance equity and create great places; expertise in Affordable Housing development, ability to build development pro formas, knowledge of a range of federal and state housing programs and Massachusetts zoning; and experience working independently and collaboratively. This individual will work to expand housing choice and opportunity in the Metro Boston region through inclusionary development policy and other zoning initiatives, specific recommendations pertaining to housing funding and programming opportunities, or establishment of new municipal or regional entities to deploy these strategies and meet need. The Planner will also work from time to time on efforts to develop or improve state and federal policies that will advance MAPC’s housing goals. The Planner will report to the Chief of Housing + Neighborhood Development.

This is an opportunity to work as part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative team of professionals who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future for Metro Boston.

About MAPC
MAPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. We are guided by MetroFuture: Making a Greater Boston Region, our regional policy plan for a more sustainable and equitable future, which was adopted in 2008.  We are currently working on a successor regional plan, MetroCommon2050: Shaping the Region Together, which we expect to complete by mid-2021. MAPC's staff includes approximately 100 full-time employees located in downtown Boston in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office.
 
We encourage all staff to develop new ideas to make MAPC's planning and policy work more relevant and impactful, and to adapt to changing times.  We strongly support the professional development of each and every staff person, believing their growth to be consistent with the best interests of MAPC and the region.  For more information about MAPC, MetroFuture, and MetroCommon, please visit www.mapc.org.
 
During the COVID emergency, almost all MAPC staff are working from home. MAPC is deeply committed to on-boarding new staff in ways that integrate them fully into our team of professionals, and maintaining close contact among existing staff, new staff, and external stakeholders.

 
Examples of Duties

• Draft zoning, permitting procedures, and design guidelines to create more and better housing or mixed-use development, with a particular emphasis on Affordable Housing.
• Help communities develop inclusionary zoning strategies, conduct pre-development analysis, and facilitate housing re/development through the procurement process (RFI, RFQ, RFP).
• Prepare pro formas to test inclusionary and other zoning and development scenarios.
• Develop mechanisms to effectively utilize public resources for housing purposes (such as program development, a Regional Housing Services Office, or an Office of Housing Stability).
• Conduct research and analysis, such as housing market analyses, assessment of housing needs, and audits of local tools to meet housing need.
• Assist municipalities to develop plans and programs to create and preserve housing for people of various incomes and household types.
• Prepare local Housing Production Plans, housing elements of Master Plans, town center or village plans, equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) plans, and other plans.
• Research and prepare reports, studies, and presentations on best practices pertaining to housing, housing market trends, public policies and programs, housing impacts, development barriers, and the like.
• Design and facilitate community engagement events and housing communications campaigns.
• Other activities consistent with accomplishing MAPC’s mission and the regional plan.

Local travel is a responsibility for this position. Occasional evening, early morning, and weekend meetings may be required, consistent with COVID protocols until the pandemic emergency ends. 

Typical Qualifications

Candidates for this position must have either a Master’s degree in urban/regional planning, real estate development, public policy/management, urban design/architecture, or a closely related field and at least 2 years of relevant job experience, or a Bachelor’s degree plus 3 years of relevant job experience.
 
Successful candidates for this position will demonstrate all or most of the following:
 
Experience + Knowledge

• Deep understanding of Affordable Housing finance and development and the state’s capital sources for Affordable Housing production.
• Ability to build development pro formas.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local housing and land use policies, laws, regulations, and programs, such as M.G.L. Chapter 40B and 40R, the Community Preservation Act, HOME, CDBG, and Fair Housing.
• Strong research skills and ability to work with large quantitative data sets to discern trends in demography, real estate, etc.

Communications + Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to write coherent documents ranging from technical reports to summary memos.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information effectively and to answer questions from laypeople.
• Ability to work on a team and collaborate on project work.
• Ability to work with different municipal governance structures; varied urban, suburban, and rural communities; and a diverse set of populations.

Organization + Time Management

• Ability to manage a workload consisting of multiple and varied projects.
• Ability to work independently, self start, and follow through on assigned tasks.

Supplemental Information

The salary range for full-time Planner II and Senior Planner positions is from $60,000 to $75,000 annually, with title and salary depending on qualifications and experience. A Master’s degree, AICP certification, and additional experience a plus to qualify for Senior Planner and/or a higher salary.
 
This position is being posted as a full-time position, but MAPC is open to qualified candidates who might be available on a part-time basis. MAPC offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits as well as a flexible, supportive, and family friendly work environment and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

How to Apply
Apply online at www.mapc.org. Please attach a cover letter and resume. If you are interviewed, you will be asked to submit 3 references plus a writing sample and an example of your design skills (flyer, rendering, presentation, site plan, model, rendering, or other visual materials. A review of applications will begin immediately. The position is open until filled. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region.

MAPC is an EOE/AA Employer. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce and encourage all qualified persons to apply.

 
Agency
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Address

60 Temple Place

Boston, Massachusetts, 02111

Phone
(617) 451-2770
Website
http://www.mapc.org