Housing Court Answers is a nonprofit organization committed to fighting for the rights of unrepresented litigants in Housing Court. Housing Court Answers provides information on landlord/tenant issues at information tables in NYC’s five Housing Courts, through a hotline, and for NYCHA tenants at the impartial hearing office. HCA also works on policy issues surrounding Housing Court. For more information on our organization, visit our website at housingcourtanswers.org.

HCA seeks a full-time hotline coordinator/office manager.

Hotline responsibilities

•  Answering calls on the hotline which is open 9am to 5pm Tuesday through Thursday. Assisting callers with rent arrears and eviction issues, utility arrears, public benefits problems or questions, questions about Housing Court and Housing Court procedures and questions about housing rights and responsibilities.
• Maintaining and updating a resource list of organizations that provide financial assistance to NYC residents with rent and utility arrears.
• Maintaining and updating a list of organizations that provide other kinds of assistance to callers, including community groups, non-profit housing organizations, legal service providers, community-based organizations and others.
• Identifying and reporting on new or unique problems and trends from callers to the hotline with a particular focus on systemic issues which might be addressed through advocacy and/or impact litigation.
• Developing and updating information sheets and training materials on issues related to assisting hotline callers, including materials on public benefits and on getting assistance from charities and HRA.
• Training and educating fellow workers on hotline protocols and on assisting hotline callers; assisting with and producing trainings for outside advocates on eviction prevention, public benefits and Housing Court issues.
• Assisting in advocacy campaigns aimed at improving the lives of hotline callers and people in Housing Court without attorneys.
• Assisting in lobbying campaigns to increase funding for the organization, the hotline, and for programs that assist hotline callers, particularly those facing eviction and homelessness.

Office management responsibilities

•  Updating and maintaining the HCA website
• Updating and maintaining internal data collection websites and databases
• Updating and maintaining contacts for email newsletter and borough task force outreach
• Tasks related to routine office management: ordering supplies, coordinating with vendors, producing reports and tasks related to contract management.

Information table responsibilities

• Work with borough teams to assist litigants at information tables when the hotline is closed (Mondays and Fridays) or as assigned.

• Providing information about Housing Court procedures and eviction prevention programs to litigants without attorneys. Assist completing court forms.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of one-year experience with landlord/tenant issues or other relevant community service.
• Strong communication skills, both speaking and writing.
• Spanish language skills, writing and speaking, are required.
• Candidates should exhibit a strong desire to help others, be emotionally mature and objective, and non-judgmental.

Preferred Qualifications

• A background in housing, an understanding of Housing Court and Housing Court procedures, and an understanding of NYC public benefits.
• Experience with
  • Landlord-tenant court
  • tenants’ rights
  • public benefits
  • NYCHA rules and procedures
• community outreach skills
• Database, email newsletter and website management skills

Salary and Benefits
Currently, salary is about $45,000. Benefits include employer paid health insurance, paid sick and vacation leave, paid holidays. Salary and benefits are negotiated through collective bargaining.

Apply
Please send resume and cover letter to info@hcanswers.org with “Hotline Position” in the subject.