The Neighborhood Developers- Housing Assistance Manager

Job Type
Programmatic/Project Management
Organization
The Neighborhood Developers
Contact Name
Alexa Shabacoff
Contact Email
ashabecoff@tndinc.org
Address

4 Gerrish Ave
Chelsea, MA
United States

Job Description

The Neighborhood Developers - Housing Assistance Manager 

Are you enthusiastic about combatting displacement? Do you care deeply about the success of gateway immigrant communities? Consider becoming the CONNECT Housing Hotline Manager at The Neighborhood Developers (TND), a successful community development corporation in Chelsea, Revere, and Everett, MA. The Housing Hotline Manager is responsible for the oversight and operation of the Housing Assistance Hotline, which was established in May 2020 to help preserve tenancies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout. This is a rare opportunity to help re-shape a successful rental assistance program into an even more comprehensive approach to helping families remain in their homes.

Overview:

The Housing Assistance Hotline was created in May 2020 so that eligible residents can access state-wide emergency housing assistance programs administered by the Massachusetts’ Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The Hotline has helped households apply for and receive over $12 million in emergency housing assistance while maintaining a client-centered advocacy model. Applications are submitted to our partner organization, Metro Housing| Boston, for approval. The Hotline also provides residents with information about tenant rights and connects callers with legal aid, emergency housing resources, and other wrap-around services as needed. With rental assistance decreasing, we are shifting more resources to housing counseling.

CONNECT promotes the financial stability and mobility of residents of Chelsea, Revere, and Everett in close collaboration with partner organizations by providing holistic services. CONNECT’s formal partners are Metro Housing|Boston, Bunker Hill Community College, Metro Credit Union, and MassHire, and we also work extensively with other organizations including La Colaborativa, Women Encouraging Empowerment, Revere Community Schools, and the local municipalities.

CONNECT is a program of TND, a non-profit community development corporation with a mission to create strong neighborhoods enabling community members to secure a stable home, achieve economic mobility, and determine their own future. The organization builds affordable homes, supports households to achieve greater financial mobility, and organizes community leaders on issues related to neighborhood conditions as well as social and economic justice. TND’s headquarters is in Chelsea where it has operated since 1978. The organization expanded into Revere in 2010 and began offering some of its services in Everett in 2018. For more information see www.theneighborhooddevelopers.org.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Provide oversight and improvement of the CONNECT Housing Hotline service, and to help Housing Hotline staff expand its case management and housing counseling services model.

• Maintain an accurate understanding of relevant RAFT program eligibility rules, application requirements, and processes.

• Track the Hotline and database systems the team uses to assist applicants, securely transmit applications, and report progress and results.

• Monitor the quality review and disbursement process.

• Develop and recommend improved standards and processes for the Hotline’s operational systems, including the use of technology, workflow, accessibility, intake systems, referral systems, data tracking, and case-management model. Support the Housing Hotline team with implementing these processes.

• Perform quality review of RAFT applications prepared by Housing Hotline associates to make sure the applications will go through, and our clients can quickly access assistance.

• Trouble shoot application issues including those flagged by our approver, Metro Housing| Boston. 

• Develop meaningful intake metrics and reporting for funders, TND board, or other entities as needed.

• Help develop and implement a housing counseling and case management strategy for Hotline callers, especially those for whom RAFT will not preserve their tenancies.  Develop a robust system of referrals to agencies that provide needed supports for unsustainable households. 

• Serve as main liaison to partner organizations including Metro Housing|Boston, the City of Revere, La Colaborativa, Housing Families and others. 

• Maintain and collaborative relationships with Chelsea landlords and other relevant parties.

• Serve as TND/CONNECT’s representative to the Chelsea-wide Eviction Task force. 

• Provide monthly reports to our funder, the City of Chelsea, on RAFT applications processed and other relevant metrics. 

• Supervise staff and provide them daily support with cases, coordinate meetings, trainings, and manage case-assignments and workflows. 

• Work directly with households facing housing instability, displacement, and eviction to connect to critical resources and receive wrap around assistance (i.e. direct "service" work).

Desirable Qualifications:

A strong candidate will demonstrate many of the following qualifications:

• Expertise in rental assistance programs and/or experience working in housing case management or related fields.

• Strong program implementation skills: experience stewarding and improving programs.

• Experience using or developing data systems in social work, housing advocacy, human services, or related fields.

• Direct experience working with low-income clients.

• Experience working with partner organizations and maintaining good relationships with partners.

• Commitment to the mission of The Neighborhood Developers and CONNECT and to social, economic, and racial justice.

• Ability to interact positively and effectively with a variety of people from different backgrounds including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

• Demonstrated ability to manage time, work effectively in a team, prioritize appropriately among multiple competing demands, and solve problems.

• Detail-oriented, well-organized, and able to work independently.

• Flexible and willing to adapt as circumstances require.

• Strong computer skills with Microsoft Office suite and with Salesforce or other databases.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Fluency in both English and Spanish is ideal.

Qualification Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function in a satisfactory manner. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Application Instruction

To Apply: Please submit both a resume and cover letter

https://oppco.hiringthing.com/job/496658/the-neighborhood-developers-housing-assistance-manager

Opportunity Communities (OppCo) provides human resources for TND. OppCo and its members, Nuestra Comunidad and TND are equal opportunity organizations. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.