Housing Liaison

The City Manager’s Housing Liaison will play a key role in supporting access to affordable housing services and resources for residents of Cambridge, and in the assessment of existing programs and policies.  Working in coordination with the City Manager’s Office, the Community Development Department and the Department of Human Service Programs, the Liaison will aid and support tenants and homeowners in need of housing assistance and assess beneficial policies and practices to support residents and minimize displacement and advise the City Manager on recommended improvements. Specific duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Provide information to residents on income and other eligibility requirements for different types of affordable housing in Cambridge, and on the availability of housing assistance;
• Work with Community Development Department and Department of Human Service Programs to ensure that City housing policies and practices are clear to residents;
• Document the types of issues, challenges and complaints that come to the City to determine trends, areas of concern and to quantify the types of problems that exist;
• Conduct a public education campaign to promote housing stability by encouraging the use of the services offered by the City and other providers;
• Produce a manual on landlord and tenant laws that apply in Cambridge that will be provided to tenants to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities;
• Identify gaps in the resources and services needed to prevent evictions and the involuntary displacement of Cambridge residents;
• The Housing Liaison will work with landlords and management companies to support stable tenancies and serve as a point person for the city when there are threatened evictions of multiple tenants in a building.
• In coordination with Community Development Department and Department of Human Service Programs, both identify gaps in current programs and services and advise the City Manager and his leadership team on housing policy.
• Establish working relationships with the property managers of developments to ensure they are working collaboratively with tenants to resolve issues which may put tenants’ housing at risk;
• Maintain and regularly update an inventory of affordable housing opportunities in Cambridge and the metropolitan region and an inventory of housing services and resources available to tenants;
• Participate in quarterly meetings with Community Development, Department of Human Service Programs and community-based affordable housing providers to stay fully abreast of housing issues in the city;
• Work closely with landlords, management companies, Cambridge Housing Authority and tenants to support housing solutions that help residents stay housed or find new affordable opportunities;
• Produce an annual report on the work of the Liaison to document the number and types of housing complaints received, the resolution of those issues, the number and types of households that were stabilized and other metrics as requested;
• Attend special events and other housing-related meetings as needed;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:        

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least 4 years professional experience, preferably in housing policy or housing program management or Masters in housing policy, or related field and at least 2 years professional experience preferred. 
• Knowledge of landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities
• Knowledge of federal and state housing legislation and regulations
• Familiarity with housing programs, resources and services offered by the City of Cambridge and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Minimum of three years of case management experience, preferably with unstably housed adults
• Demonstrated ability to relate to persons in crisis, staff and the general public in a positive manner
• Ability to set priorities and to work independently and efficiently to manage individual responsibilities;
• Ability to work collaboratively and proactively as a team player to achieve team goals
• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders to help negotiate solutions to difficult problems involving parties with different interests.
• Knowledge of mainstream and specialized affordable housing resources
• Knowledge of public benefit programs
• Ability to communicate clearly verbally and in writing
• Working knowledge of computer programs, such as MS Word and Excel strongly preferred