Job DescriptionThe New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. HPD is committed to reducing administrative and regulatory barriers and make investments to tackle New York City’s complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth.Your Team:The Office of Housing Access and Stability (“HAS”) consists of the divisions of Housing Opportunity, Tenant and Owner Resources, Housing Stability, Budget and Program Operations, and Program Policy and Innovation. The mission of the office is to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent access to affordable housing. The Office provides subsidies, placement services, and tools that connect New Yorkers to affordable housing and ensures vulnerable households in subsidized housing have the support they need to be safely housed. Housing Access is committed to expanding housing choices, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and stabilizing the financial health of buildingsAt HPD, rent subsidy programs are administered by the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (DTOR). HPD’s rental subsidies, including Section 8 or the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, provide funding to eligible low-income families for rental assistance toward decent, safe, and affordable housing in a neighborhood of their choice. Families pay approximately 30% of their income toward rent, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) pays the difference, directly to the owner. The unit must have a rent that is determined reasonable and affordable by HPD and must meet federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS) to be approved.Your Impact:HPD's Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (DTOR) is responsible for the administration of rental subsidy programs that include Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Project Based Voucher (PBV), Moderate Rehab Section 8, Moderate Rehab Single Room Occupancy (SRO), and Continuum of Care (CoC)-Shelter Plus Care (SPC) and NYC 15/15. Through these programs, HPD serves over 40,000 households and 9,000 landlords in all five boroughs. DTOR is responsible for the initial application screening; confirming eligibility requirements; briefing applicants; and issuing vouchers. DTOR also monitors tenant and landlord compliance of their obligations under each program and continues to administer the ongoing subsidies throughout their participation. These continued activities include processing annual and interim recertifications to update family income/assets, household composition, and rent amounts; tenant moves and transfers; approved rent increases; Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) abatements and reinstatements to enforce Housing QualityYour Role:The Court Liaison will report directly to the coordinator and/or the Director of the Program. The Court Liaison will serve as Community/Court Liaison in the Division of Tenant Resources (DTR), in the Office of Neighborhood Strategies in the Legal Support Unit. The Court Liaison will conduct research and analyses of Agency records that are required to be produced in Court. Specific duties include reviewing subpoenas, researching, collecting, analyzing, preparing written summary of case facts, and organizing documents for submission and/or for testifying in Court; and, assisting and working with staff attorneys and DTR employees. The Court Liaison will also write a summary of all court appearances, coordinate required DTR actions that relate to legal proceedings, update Agency records of court proceedings, establishes and maintains files and records to track court caseloads. In addition, he/she will work on special projects relating to evictions and other legal proceedings. Additionally, the Court Liaison will respond to inquiries from attorneys, owners, tenants, assist with review of legal actions, and work on special projects. The Court Liaison will perform other functions related to the Division of Tenant Resources' Legal Support Unit; he/she enters all the data into the Legal Support database as well as maintain all legal files and DTR databases accurately and orderly. He/she will provide assistance to both the coordinator and the director as needed. The Court Liaison will also work on special projects relating to evictions, other legal matters, and work related to the Division of Tenant Resources.The Court Liaison will be responsible for, but not limited to the following:
Review subpoenas and prepare responsive documentation, and follow- through.
Appear in housing court representing the agency and complete all required follow through.
Have full understanding of New York legal process for residential evictions and housing court, DTR requirements for participants and landlords notification of legal proceedings; the various steps of the DTR Rental Subsidy Programs; tasks including, but not limited to: application screenings, eligibility determination, preparation of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contracts, client briefings, rent calculations, filed preparation, annual and interim reexaminations, client transfers, data entry of required information into data systems.
Respond to inquiries on program hotlines, and assist clients.
Maintain Unit court calendar as needed.
Work on special projects.
Attend meetings, conferences and trainings as required.
Work with senior management team to implement and maintain best practice operations.
May represent the Division at community events and workshops.
Be able to work independently and manage own workload.
Preferred Skills:Excellent Communication SkillsStrong Customer Service FocusComputer Proficiency including Word, Microsoft Office, and ExcelBilingual a PlusSection 8 or other Rental Subsidy experience a PlusQualifications
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.
Additional InformationThe City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.