The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board is seeking a Housing and Community Organizer, fluent in both Spanish and English.

The Organization

The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB), empowers low- to moderate-income residents to take control of their housing and enhance communities by creating strong tenant associations and lasting affordable co-ops. Since 1973, UHAB has been helping New Yorkers with limited means become part of their own housing solutions. Our work is guided by core principles self-help, democratic resident control, and low income housing.

UHAB’s organizing and policy department works with tenants who are at risk of displacement due to predatory behavior from landlords, gentrification, or poor living conditions. UHAB works with tenant leaders to develop resident associations and engage members in fighting for their own housing solutions. Tenant associations that UHAB works with fight to educate and enforce existing tenants’ rights, and to strengthen them through participating in City and State wide campaigns.

Position

UHAB is seeking a Housing and Community Organizer to focus on the East Harlem and Inwood neighborhoods. The Organizer will work alongside tenant associations and community leaders to build tenant power and connect East Harlem and Inwood tenants to larger policy issues and campaigns such as the rezonings in each neighborhood and strengthening the New York State Rent Laws. The Organizer will work to build tenant associations in buildings facing distressed conditions, severe tenant harassment, and loss of affordability.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of tenant associations in the East Harlem and Inwood neighborhoods;
• Collaborate with Manhattan Legal Services to initiate individual and group housing court actions, rent reductions, MCI appeals, or other legal strategies;
• Identify and support the growth of tenant leaders through training, skill-sharing, and one-on-one meetings;
• Grow the tenant base in both neighborhoods through outreach and leadership development to existing tenant associations;
• Work with tenant leaders to lead monthly community-wide meetings in East Harlem and work towards expanding this model in Inwood;
• Outreach to and mobilization of tenant associations in both neighborhoods to participate in, and support the work of, city and statewide coalitions to strengthen affordable housing in New York City.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be bi-lingual (English/Spanish), computer proficient, personable, flexible, have excellent organizing skills and a strong commitment to housing and economic justice.

They must also have at least two years of experience working as a community or labor organizer (particularly in NYC is preferred) and possess an ability to communicate complex ideas in an understandable and accessible way. The ideal candidate will also have strong oral and written communication skills, as well as an ability to work in a fast paced environment and handle multiple projects at the same time.

Candidates with interest in alternative affordable housing models (including limited equity co-ops) and an interest in supporting UHAB’s work to build a pipeline of low income co-ops are preferred. Work on nights and some weekends is required for this position.

Location

The position is based primarily out of our offices in Lower Manhattan, but will include office hours in UHAB’s East Harlem office and significant time in the field organizing in East Harlem and Inwood.

More Info Visit www.uhab.org.

Application    To apply, send a resume and cover letter with two references to organizingjobs@uhab.org.

UHAB is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.