Picture the Homeless (PTH) is a city wide grass roots organization founded and led by homeless New Yorkers in 1999. PTH seeks an experienced housing and community development organizer (HCD) with a strong background in tenant organizing, base building, leadership and campaigndevelopment, and experience with, or demonstrated knowledge of, community development.
The Housing and Community Development Organizer (HCD) will organize E Harlem residents (tenants and shareholders, doubled up individuals and families, shelter residents, street homeless, and homeless folks displaced from the neighborhood) towards the formation of a Community Land Trust and large scale cooperative models of housing. The HCD will work closely with the PTH housing organizer and PTH organizing team and be employed by PTH but will work closely with the Pilot Project workgroup of the New York City Community Land Initiative www.nyccli.org.
The Housing and Community Development Organizer’s responsibilities will include:
- Membership Development
- Door knocking, tabling, phone banking and other forms of outreach to residents in E Harlem
- Create a presence in E Harlem for the E Harlem Community Land Trust
- Extensive leadership development, including identification of potential CLT and cooperative housing board members
- Set up and hold skillsbuilding workshops
- Integration of housed and homeless community members into campaign
- Extensive neighborhood ally engagement
- Maintain database for all contacts
- Represent the organization in alliance and citywide spaces
- Campaign Development
- Staff weekly Pilot Project Meetings
- Work with campaign members to identify and implement organizing campaigns towards building a CLT and large scale housing cooperative model
- Lead visioning work with residents and pilot project members to develop models of cooperative housing that ensure permanent affordability for residents, including extremely low income
- Manage multiple interests of tenants, shareholders and homeless folks in the development of a large scale housing cooperative model
- Coordinate campaign strategy with PYH housing campaign organizer ad the NYCCLI Policy, and Pop Ed Workgroups.
- Become proficient in housing policy, community land trusts and alternative forms of housing development
- Use social media to mobilize allies and disseminate campaign information
Requirements:
- Experience as a tenant or housing organizer on a social justice campaign;
- Demonstrated track record in base building
- Demonstrated track record in campaign development
- Strong Leadership Development skills
- Housing policy background or proficiency in policy work
- Strong teamwork abilities for close collaboration with other staff and member committees
- Superb research, analytical, writing, oral communication, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Dedication and ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends
- Proficiency in Windows applications and other information technologies
- Demonstrated commitment to grassroots organizing and building power of poor and working people
- Fluency in English and Spanish is preferred
How to Apply
Picture the Homeless encourages applications from people of color from low income communities, LGBTQ, differently-abled and people who have personally experienced homelessness.
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements and writing sample to Alfredo@picturethehomeless.org. Please put HCD Organizer in the subject line to ensure that your email is received and reviewed. No calls please. This position is open until filled.
