We are looking for an experienced, bold, passionate, hard-working, and dedicated person who is looking for an opportunity to grow their organizing skills and capacity and help move our cutting edge and exciting work forward. The position calls for a mid-level staff person who is excited to build the power and infrastructure of our important work.

New Settlement Apartments (NSA) is a not-for-profit housing and community service organization located in an underserved area of the southwest Bronx. We have a 24-year track record of active commitment to neighborhood revitalization and community development, including working towards excellence in community public schools. Year-round community services, education programs and our housing serves, serve over 15,000 youth and adults each year.

Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA), New Settlement’s Housing Organizing initiative, has been working since 2005 to build tenant power through community organizing to not only address prevailing threats to tenants’ rights and existing affordable housing stock, but to expand access to safe and affordable housing. CASA works primarily in Community Board 4 (CB4), or the Highbridge/Concourse section of the southwest Bronx, but our campaigns often pursue city- and state-wide impact and thus work with vibrant and diverse coalitions.

We conduct strategic outreach and organize tenant associations, provide monthly housing workshops and legal clinics, hold monthly membership meetings and both lead and participate in city and state-wide policy campaigns. Our recent campaign work has focused on reforming Housing Court (including but not limited to a citywide campaign to guarantee universal access to representation for all tenants who find themselves in Housing Court), building city-wide support for a rent freeze for all rent-stabilized units, a city- and state-level campaign to end non-rent fees and associated harassment, and most recently, launching a campaign for the participatory rezoning of the Southwest Bronx.  All of our campaigns are member-envisioned, member-led and member-implemented.

In October and March 2015, we were awarded the Standing Up for Justice Award by the MinKwon Center for Community Action and the Ally Organization Award by CAAAV, respectively.  In September 2014, we were awarded the Activist Award by the Urban Justice Center for our ‘long-standing dedication to building the power of Bronx tenants and fiercely advocating for affordable housing” and in March of 2013 we received an Excellence in Neighborhood Organizing Award from the Association of Neighborhood and Housing Development, for our tenant organizing work.  For more information, go to: www.casapower.org

Job Description:

We are looking for an experienced, bold, passionate, hard-working, and dedicated person who is looking for an opportunity to grow their organizing skills and capacity and help move our cutting edge and exciting work forward. The position calls for a mid-level staff person who is excited to build the power and infrastructure of our important work.

The position will report to CASA’s Deputy Director and work in coordination with the organizing staff.

Job Responsibilities:

Guided by the Director, the Deputy Director and in coordination with other organizers and interns, the Lead Organizer will work to strengthen CASA’s broad base of members, who are committed to housing justice, understand what it takes to build a movement and are prepared to take bold action to transform the quality and affordability of housing in the Southwest Bronx.  The Lead Organizer’s Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Building a Strong Base of Members through:
  • Organizing 3-5 Tenants’ Associations: We organize so that landlord harassment stops, repairs are done, people can stay in their homes, communities are stabilized, and ultimately so that people know and claim their own power. Our model is to develop steering committees that work collectively based on people’s skills, interests and time.  We teach leaders how to facilitate meetings, make flyers, write letters, run press conferences, pressure the banks, meet with their landlords and lobby resources like HPD.  Our goal is to develop tenants’ associations that can ultimately operate independently of our support while bringing members of tenants association into our organization and developing them as leaders to lead our campaigns.
• Conducting Effective Outreach and Base building Work: Using various and creative methods to recruit new members, keeping accurate records, assessing potential members, and effectively meeting goals to turnout members to key actions and events.
• Leadership Development: The organizer will constantly work to develop the skills, capacity and analysis of our members through informal and formal leadership development work. The organizer will work to encourage participation and a sense of ownership among members.
• Campaign Strategy and Development: We have three active campaigns: The Campaign to Reform the Bronx Housing Court, which includes the fight for the right to counsel and the Campaign for a Rent Freeze and the Campaign for a Just Rezoning of Jerome Ave. We are looking for an organizer to join our team who can help lead one of these important campaigns which includes mobilizing for actions, developing campaign strategy and innovative tactics, conducting research, working with media, etc.
• Supervise 2-3 community organizers working on housing justice issues.
• Actively Participate in and Develop our Organizational Capacity: This includes participating in and prepping members to facilitate our monthly CASA Membership Meetings, creating and facilitating regular workshops specific to housing rights, laws and processes, seeking out training and learning opportunities, facilitating staff meetings, actively participating in staff retreats, keeping up with database and reporting requirements and thinking through ways to develop CASA into the organization it can and should be.

Desired Experience and Qualifications: Minimum two years’ experience in organizing; a well-developed theory of change; a strong track record of a commitment to social justice; ability to communicate, listen and motivate people to action from diverse backgrounds; strong experience in facilitation, training and leadership development; excellent writing and public speaking skills; computer literate; ability to work nights and weekends as necessary. English/Spanish bilingual skills strongly preferred.

Salary and Benefits: Competitive salary, depending on experience. Comprehensive benefits package, including 401(k). Great opportunities for learning, growth and development.

How to Apply:  Send cover letter, résumé and list of three professional references to housingorgsearch@newsettlement.org or by mail to Housing Organizer Search, New Settlement Apartments, 1512 Townsend Ave, Bronx NY 10452. No faxes or phone calls, please. EEO/AA

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