Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation Seeks Director of Tenant Organizing and Counseling (NYC)

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) is a not-for-profit community development organization serving 8,000 residents a year through a comprehensive array of housing preservation, economic development, community organizing and youth and family support services programs and projects. With community residents leading the way, the mission of Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation is to build a strong, sustainable Cypress Hills/East New York, where youth and adults achieve educational and economic success, secure healthy and affordable housing and develop leadership skills to transform their lives and community.

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation has an opening for one full-time Director of Tenant Organizing and Counseling to work in the Community Organizing and Advocacy division. This position is a full time, 40 hour per week, exempt position. We are looking for an experienced, hard-working, Spanish-speaking person who is committed to supporting tenants both individually and collectively, building tenant power, and organizing for housing justice.

Principal Duties:

  • Hire, train, supervise and evaluate tenant organizers, counselor, and interns.
  • Create and facilitate workshops about housing rights, responsibilities, laws and processes.
  • Complete surveys of distressed buildings and work with tenant organizers to organize tenants.
  • Hold regular meetings with tenants to identify and prioritize issues for building improvement campaigns (e.g. repairs, unresponsive management or landlords, shoddy maintenance, breach of rent-stabilization regulations).
  • Develop and coordinate the neighborhood Tenant Leadership Council.
  • Connect Cypress Hills residents to city-wide affordable housing campaigns as part of a city-wide coalition of low-income immigrant communities fighting for housing justice. These issues include: permanent affordability of low income housing, preservation of publicly-subsidized housing, reform of the rent regulation laws, and tackling the injustices related to predatory lending, subprime foreclosure crisis, unfair water billing policies, foreclosure rescue scams, one-stop shops, etc.
  • Counsel tenants individually as needed, and provide on-going assistance to tenants to resolve their housing problems, through case management, advocacy and tenant organizing.
  • Manage and maintain databases for contract reporting.
  • Complete quarterly reports for funders.
  • Provide monthly narratives and statistical reports on work accomplished.
  • Demonstrate commitment to leadership development, community building, and community organizing as strategies for social change.
  • Report to the Director of Community Organizing and Advocacy.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

  • Must have three-five years experience in tenant organizing.
  • Must have a Bachelors degree.
  • Must be fluent in Spanish.
  • Be able to work in a fast-paced environment.
  • Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Be skilled and comfortable facilitating meetings and leading workshops.
  • Be detail-oriented.
  • Be willing to work flexible hours, including some evenings for tenant meetings.

Salary:

$50,000. We also offer a very competitive benefits package.

CYPRESS HILLS LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER AND IS COMMITTED TO WORKPLACE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We promote recognition and respect for individual and cultural differences, and we work to make our employees feel valued and appreciated, whatever their race, gender, background, or sexual orientation.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a pleasant working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with experience.

How to apply

Please forward cover letter, resume, and three (3) references to Director of Community Organizing and Advocacy at: JuliaW@cypresshills.org. Three (3) written and signed reference letters will be required if chosen for the position.