Rental Arrears Advocate

HCC’s Background

Founded in 1972, Housing Conservation Coordinators, Inc. (HCC) is an over 50-year-old community-based, not-for-profit organization located in Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton on Manhattan’s West Side. HCC’s programs promote social and economic justice and fight for the rights of poor, low-income, and working individuals and families. Through our services, we seek to promote a vibrant and diverse community with the power to shape its own future. Today we offer a wide range of legal, advocacy, weatherization, and community organizing services to tenants throughout Manhattan.

Job Description

HCC’s Legal Component serves clients in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood and throughout Manhattan through our community-based intake, Right to Counsel court intake, our older adult program, and our immigration clinic.

HCC seeks a full time Rental Arrears Advocate to work with HCC’s legal team and support the attorneys in their representation of clients and resolution of Housing Court cases.

The Rental Arrears Advocate will:

• Assist clients who are being represented in Court by HCC attorneys with applications for rental arrears, including helping to apply for emergency rental assistance grants from the Human Resources Administration (known as “one shot deals”), FHEPS, City FHEPS, and/or private charities.
• Advocate for approval of grant requests with city agencies as needed.
• Follow up with clients to collect necessary documents.
• Under the supervision of an attorney, provide brief legal advice to tenants as it relates to the rent arrears advocacy.
• Conduct intake, especially in the context of the Right to Counsel intake in Housing Court.
• Participate in HCC’s Annual West Side Tenants’ Conference.
• Complete all necessary work for contract agencies and/or foundations, including maintaining accurate and weekly database entries on all client and individual tenant matters.
• Be available and respond to community walk-in questions and needs.
• Other related duties as assigned by Management.

Salary and Benefits

The Rental Arrears Advocate is a non-exempt position and will earn a minimum of $52,267 and a maximum of $87,073 depending on relevant experience. All HCC staff are members of National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW), UAW Local 2320; salary and benefits are pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

HCC offers competitive benefits, including but not limited to:

• Ability to work remotely up to two days per week.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with no employee contribution.
• 24 days of annual leave, increasing to 28 days after the second year of employment, plus one floating holiday.
• 14 paid holidays.
• After six months of employment, 5% employer contribution to 403(b) retirement plan.

Qualifications

HCC is seeking an advocate for immediate hire with the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and commitment to working with low-income clients preferred.
• 1 to 3 years of direct service work in a community-based organization preferred.
• Deep understanding of and ability to work well with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Preference for familiarity with public benefits and/or housing justice.
• Thrives in a work environment that employs a team approach.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor an employment visa.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should send their resume and cover letter in a single pdf labeled [Last Name, First Name – HCC Application] to legaljobs@hcc-nyc.org. Please insert “Rental Arrears Advocate” in the subject heading field of the email. Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

HCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, transgender and gender non-conforming people, survivors of violence, people with disabilities and individuals of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. HCC does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, height, weight, national origin, disability, or citizen, marital, veteran, or HIV status.