Labor and Community Job Opportunities, Opportunities

596 Acres Seeks Community Land Access Program Organizer

Since 2011, 596 Acres’ Community Land Access Program has helped 36 groups transform vacant, City-owned pieces of land into community resources. We have developed several strategies to help New Yorkers gain access to vacant public land, including our online mapping tool Living Lots NYC, which makes information about public property available and easy to understand, and our THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND signs, which we hang on the fences of vacant lots.

Our organizers regularly present at Community Board meetings, since local groups need Community Board support for their projects; host how-to workshops for potential land stewards; connect diverse neighbors and organizations with one another to strengthen local plans; and win over elected officials. We are looking for someone to continue pursuing our effective strategies that facilitate neighborhood groups accessing vacant land and, where needed, develop and pursue new ones.

Each community land access campaign is slightly different, so we are looking for a self-driven problem-solver who will:

  • Develop and pursue old and new strategies to increase the effectiveness of NYC’ Community Land Access Advocacy Program in tandem with Executive Director and 596 Acres’ Advisory Committee
  • Continue tried and true methods of community land access advocacy:
  • Hang signs on fences of vacant lots City-wide
  • Lead workshops for various community based organizations and neighborhood groups
  • Table for 596 Acres at community events
  • Support and initiate relationship-building and cultivate meaningful collaborations with community leaders and community-based organizations
  • Represent the organization with local and state government officials
  • Collaborate with the press
  • Use social media as outreach and organizing tool
  • Manage 596 Acres’ volunteers and interns
  • Support the organizing efforts of local land access advocates around NYC by monitoring website activity and following up with active organizing groups regularly
  • Process and respond to new local organizers within 48 hours via email and phone
  • Maintain our email-oriented database with extreme attention to detail
  • Stay current on public land policy and processes of application for license and leases through relevant city agencies for community use
  • Liaise with city agencies and intervene in direct community outreach when needed
  • Facilitate monthly general meetings for our organizers in locations around the City
  • Present to community boards in districts with the highest concentration of vacant, public land to share information about 596 Acres’ work, current neighborhood land access organizing efforts, and district-specific maps
Here’s what we’re looking for in an applicant
  • Experience in and commitment to bottom-up organizing, grassroots leadership, and collective decision-making
  • A commitment to urban land as a shared resource
  • Familiarity with City government processes (and willingness to learn more about them!)
  • Demonstrated ability to work in multi-racial, multi-lingual settings
  • Extreme comfort with email and filing
  • Comfort with responding to email immediately within regular working hours
  • Comfort with flexible organizing schedule to accommodate community event needs
  • Willingness to travel throughout the five boroughs
To apply, submit a cover letter and resume to organizers@596acres.org. This position is part time, 25 hours per week. Salary is $36,000, with benefits.