Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Asian Americans and all those who are in need. Founded in 1974 to advocate for equal rights, AAFE has transformed – in the past four decades – to become one of New York’s preeminent housing, social service and community development organizations. AAFE is committed to preserving affordable housing throughout New York and to providing new opportunities for the city’s diverse immigrant communities.

Employing innovative approaches, the organization has preserved and developed eight-six (86) buildings, creating more than eight hundred (800) units of housing. It has secured almost $300 million in mortgage financing for home buyers and disbursed $30 million in loans to hundreds of small businesses. Through a wide range of multilingual counseling services, AAFE provides education, financial assistance and training to empower people, small businesses and neighborhoods. Its research, advocacy and grassroots organizing initiatives help to shape government policy and to effect positive change. At its heart, AAFE embodies the hopes and dreams of New York’s many vibrant immigrant communities, and helps turn those dreams into reality.

AAFE is seeking a full-time Housing Organizer to further AAFE’s efforts to preserve decent and affordable housing in the neighborhoods that the organization is based, Chinatown and Lower East Side and in immigrant communities in Queens, including but not limited to Elmhurst, Corona, Woodside, Sunnyside and Jackson Heights. The housing organizer will be part of a team that represents tenants in Housing Court, state Supreme Court, and administrative proceedings; works with tenant groups, tenant leaders and community organizations; conducts trainings and communicates regularly with elected officials and city and state agencies.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct strategic outreach in buildings to educate neighborhood residents and groups about their housing rights. This includes door-knocking, building assessment and identifying tenant leaders in buildings.
• Work with residents and tenant leaders to organize tenant associations for the purposes of ensuring their legal rights are not being violated and to collectively address and resolve housing issues.
• Develop, identify, implement or support local, city-wide and/or state-wide campaigns to preserve affordable housing and fight anti-displacement.
• Represent AAFE at community or coalition meetings.
• Keep detailed records of the organizing activities and to use them in writing funding or grant reports.
• Attend weekly staff meetings to jointly develop ways that AAFE can improve its services or better meet the needs of the people we serve.
• Attend training opportunities.

Requirements:

• A demonstrated commitment to social justice and to using organizing as a tool for social change.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the issues or problems affecting low-income or working-poor, immigrant, LGBTQ, and communities of color.
• Minimum one year experience in organizing, with experience working on New York City housing or tenant advocacy issues preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking skills.
• Computer literacy, which includes familiarity using email, Excel, Word, Facebook, Twitter and other computer programs that will improve the work.
• Fluently bilingual in English/Chinese-Mandarin, required. Additional Spanish fluency, a plus.
• Ability to work evening shifts (1 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and some weekends.

Compensation:
Salary is commensurate with experience. Excellent health benefits with paid vacation, holidays, sick days, and personal days.

How to apply
If interested, applicants should submit a cover letter indicating salary requirements and a resume in PDF, addressed to veronica_li@aafe.org. No faxes or phone calls, please. In the event that we wish to arrange for an interview, we will contact you by email or phone.

Thank you for expressing your interest in working with Asian Americans for Equality