The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) is seeking a Project Associate in our Co-op Preservation Department who is fluent in both English and Spanish.

 

The Organization

Since 1973, UHAB has been organizing low- and moderate-income tenants to fight poor living conditions in multi-family buildings neglected or abandoned by landlords. We have helped form hundreds of tenant associations and assisted in the transformation of some 1,600 distressed rental buildings into 1,200 affordable co-ops, providing homeownership opportunities for more than 30,000 households. By promoting self-help among residents, UHAB works to sustain this thriving affordable housing community.

Our activities include advocacy, tenant organizing, classroom and on-site housing management and maintenance training, development of new co-ops, development consulting, and special services to member co-ops, such as bookkeeping, insurance, legal advice, bulk purchasing, IT assistance, and guidance in applying for cost-saving energy conservation programs.

UHAB’s work is carried out at our office in Lower Manhattan by 36 dedicated staff members.

 

The Position

The Co-op Preservation Project Associate, based in our main office in Lower Manhattan, will report to the Director of Co-op Preservation.

This department is a dedicated team that supports low-income housing cooperatives (HDFCs) through technical, organizational, and financial planning assistance. This work includes loan packaging for distressed co-ops and guidance on management, maintenance, and governance. UHAB provides ongoing monitoring for more than 150 co-ops to ensure compliance with lenders and City regulations. Each staff member is assigned to monitor certain buildings.  The successful candidate will be a bright, motivated professional who wants to make a tangible, positive impact on both our team and on the affordable co-ops with which we work. This full-time position has a flexible work schedule to accommodate evening meetings with co-op leaders.

 

Responsibilities

Technical and Financial Planning Assistance: While assessing the financial and physical needs of buildings and helping to stabilize and improve these affordable co-ops, the Project Associate will be part of a team led by the Director of Co-op Preservation.

Responsibilities include these:

• Conducting assessments and developing strategies to assist distressed co-ops seeking assistance such as tax relief or loans for debt reduction or capital improvements
• Creating, sharing, and clarifying these strategies with co-op Boards of Directors, other shareholders, management companies, accountants, attorneys, and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
• Helping Boards with organizational issues, such as maintenance collection processes, budget preparation, and building management challenges, while maintaining high levels of trust and communication with building leaders and other residents
• Assisting shareholders in organizing effectively to collectively identify problems, determine goals, and implement democratic work plans to improve the performance of their co-ops
• Providing guidance by telephone and email, offering resources, information, and referrals tailored to specific HDFC co-op needs
• Attending meetings at buildings and keeping Board members and other shareholders informed of progress and tasks that need to be performed
• Providing advisory consultations—both at UHAB’s office and at the buildings—for Board members and other shareholders

Ongoing Monitoring: Most of the buildings working with Co-op Preservation have a monitoring agreement, to help ensure that the co-op thrives, that it is maintained in sound physical and financial condition, is governed democratically by its residents in accordance with its by-laws, and is in compliance with government regulations and loan agreements.

To meet these goals, the Co-op Preservation Project Associate will perform the following duties, among others:

• Review and analyze co-op financial records on a quarterly and/or annual basis
• Attend meetings (often in the evening) with co-op leaders and other residents on an as-needed basis
• Review all documents pertaining to the resale and transfer of apartments
• Monitor elections of co-op boards
• Respond by phone and email to questions and requests for technical assistance
• Format and maintain databases
• Record in the Intranet database any substantial assistance provided to an HDFC
• Perform detailed quantitative analysis
• Prepare budget recommendations
• Write clear and concise reports of visits and interactions with co-ops and draft correspondence for the buildings as necessary
• Compile Annual Monitoring Reports for submission to lenders and government sponsors

General:

• Promptly prepare accurate and informative reports on all site visits and technical advisory sessions, and file the reports on the database
• Provide daily and/or weekly work plans and progress reports, and meet regularly with supervisory staff to discuss progress and future work and to identify areas for improvement
• Participate in UHAB-wide meetings, committees, and activities and contribute to improving and promoting the organization

 

Qualifications

Coaching and on-the-job training will be available to fill skill gaps. However, from the start, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that he or she is fluent in both English and Spanish and proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.

The Project Associate will also have a variety of talents and attributes, including the ability to

• establish productive trust-based relationships with leaders and other residents of HDFC co-ops
• establish effective professional relationships with real estate professionals, particularly property managers, bank representatives, and government officials
• analyze and develop budgets in Excel
• research government regulations and legal documents and interpret them to concerned parties
• express him- or herself clearly and persuasively when speaking and in writing
• work productively both independently and as part of a team
• meet pressure and challenges with optimism and attention to detail
• be flexible and creative in solving problems and resolving disputes among shareholders

 

Salary

Along with the annual salary starting at $40,000, UHAB offers an excellent benefits package, including health care, life insurance, a 403B, and a flexible spending account.

How to Apply

Email your resume with a cover letter to Oscar McDonald at mcdonald@uhab.org with “Project Associate Position” in the subject line.

Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

 

More Info:

www.uhab.org