Tenant Organizer

Housing Counseling Services (HCS) is seeking a new full time Tenant Organizer to work collaboratively with tenants and tenant groups throughout Washington, DC. The Organizer will assist tenants through the process of forming tenant associations, understanding their rights as DC tenants, and providing the technical assistance necessary to exercise those rights. This role furthers HCS’ goals of empowering tenants to make informed decisions about their housing and to prevent the displacement of low-moderate income tenants from the District. 

The organizer will work with low-income District tenants who face bad housing conditions, rent increases, pressure to move, and sale of their property. A primary role of the organizer is to help tenant associations navigate the Districts’ Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). TOPA gives tenants the first right to purchase when buildings are for sale and tenants have many rights and options to consider during this process.  

The organizer’s work hours are flexible and varied. A typical day includes communicating with tenants and other partners by phone and email, meeting with tenant representatives, and posting informational flyers in apartment buildings. Three or four nights per week, the organizer facilitates evening meetings starting at 6 - 7PM. These meetings are with small- to medium-sized groups of tenants, typically no more than 50. Currently tenant meetings are held both in-person and remotely. The Tenant Organizer typically works between 11AM - 7PM on days when there are tenant meetings (and traditional work hours on days with no evening meetings). The Tenant Services team is extremely supportive and collaborative in nature and is available to provide newer staff with the information, training, and support needed throughout the transition into this exciting position.  

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide technical assistance to tenant associations who seek to preserve their rights, form tenant associations, purchase their buildings, partner with developers, improve housing conditions, and preserve housing affordability and subsidies.

• Conduct outreach by flyering in buildings throughout DC where tenants are at risk for displacement.

• Provide trainings on tenant rights, forming tenant associations, and the tenant purchase process. 

• Engage partners including property owners, management companies, developers, attorneys, lenders, inspectors, and government officials.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A demonstrated commitment to affordable housing, social justice, or community education.

• Must be flexible, adaptable, independent/self-directed as well as collaborative/team focused.

• Experience with, or background in, community development, affordable housing, at-risk populations, organizing, anti-poverty work, and/or providing direct services to low-income individuals and families.

• Sensitivity to needs within the community and to individual clients.

• Ability to translate technical information into informal language.

• Ability to communicate effectively in group settings with a wide variety of people including low-income individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds as well as lenders, developers, property owners, attorneys, public officials, and others.

• Comfortable working in conflict situations and being out of the office in neighborhoods throughout DC.

• Knowledge of or lived experience with the issues affecting low-income, immigrant, and communities of color or other historically underserved communities.

• Fluency in Spanish or Amharic is a plus. Other language skills are appreciated.

• Native Washingtonians and BIPOC candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

• College degree not required