Senior Organizer

BROOKLINE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Senior Organizer

Updated JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

April 26, 2023

The Brookline Community Development Corporation seeks an experienced tenant organizer.  BCDC is a Brookline-based, non-profit comprehensive community development corporation.  Founded in 1980 as the Brookline Improvement Coalition, the primary purpose of the Brookline Community Development Corporation (BCDC) is to develop, own, and maintain decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts, particularly for low- and moderate-income households.  BCDC works to transform the lives of Brookline’s low and moderate-income residents so that they can all live and work with dignity and respect while making our community more equitable, sustainable, inclusive, and just.

Responsibilities: The Senior Organizer will organize low and moderate-income tenants, especially tenants in Brookline Housing Authority (BHA) and Section 8 housing that are facing poor conditions and/or risk of displacement. The organizer will do building outreach and education and support the organizations of tenant associations to win better housing conditions, address landlord harassment, stabilize their housing and promote safety net services.

Working with partner organizations and legal service providers, the Tenant Organizer will help to inform strategy, propose policies, and/or identify potential impact litigation opportunities as part of broader organizing efforts to address the needs of low and moderate-income tenants living multi-family properties that are housing insecure

The Tenant Organizer will also provide one-on-one advocacy for tenants and/or refer tenants for services, as needed.  The Tenant Organizer must be available some evenings to accommodate outreach and organizing during nonworking hours.

Duties Include:

• Undertaking and leading volunteer door-to-door tenant outreach in multi-family properties that are facing poor conditions and/or risk of displacement to engage and organize tenants.
• Facilitating tenant association meetings in buildings and developments.
• Creating partnerships with other local social and economic justice and safety net organizations to establish coordinated and consistent services to meet basic needs and improve residents’ quality of life.
• Training tenants to take active roles in the organizing.
• Supporting and organizing events such as press conferences, training, meetings, hearings, and demonstrations.
• Mobilizing tenants in Brookline to take active roles in the local, regional, and state-wide campaigns.
• Represent BCDC at relevant meetings with elected officials, partners, coalitions, and events, as needed and assigned.
• Produce tenant materials for outreach, education, and advocacy. 
• Providing one-on-one advocacy for tenants in multi-family properties that are facing poor conditions and/or at risk of displacement, as needed.
• Refer internally to BCDC or externally to partners for relevant eviction prevention assistance and/or housing/legal counseling assistance, as needed.
• Providing day-to-day task supervision and support to activists, interns, volunteers, and VISTA/AmeriCorps members, as needed.
• Inputting data and maintaining case files accurately and timely as required.
• Performing administrative functions to ensure contract and grant compliance.
• Participating in regular office meetings, training and board meetings.
• Position will report to the interim executive director
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of two years of experience working in coalition on a campaign or campaigns that emphasize community organizing and base-building is a plus.
• Minimum of one year of experience in tenant organizing, tenant advocacy, and/or eviction prevention.
• Some experience maintaining an active caseload.
• Knowledge of Massachusetts tenant-landlord law a plus
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, including measurement and evaluation.
• Enthusiasm and respect for racial, ethnic, and economic diversity.
• Experience working with low-income populations is required.
• Strong writing, data management, administrative and computer skills required (Google Docs, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access).
• Demonstrated appreciation for the link between individual advocacy and community organizing.
• Bi-lingual in English and Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, or Spanish preferred.
• Commitment to BCDC’s mission of economic and social justice

Compensation:  Competitive compensation with a range of $55,000 to $65,000 annual salary depending on experience.  Benefits include 75% of health insurance costs.

To Apply: E-mail a cover letter and resume, with “BCDC Organizing position” in the subject line to  bvanmeter423@gmail.com by May 26th, 2023. Please, no phone calls.

Women and people of color and local residents are strongly encouraged to apply.  BCDC is an equal opportunity employer (EEO).