The Organization: A private non-profit founded in 1977, Chinatown Community Development Center believes in a comprehensive vision of community. We build housing, develop grassroots leadership, engage in community land use and transportation planning, and empower low-income residents and youth for civic engagement. We manage 25 affordable housing buildings serving over 2,800 low-income seniors, formerly homeless adults, and families in San Francisco. Our employees are committed and passionate about our mission; thrive in our family organizational culture; and embody values of empowerment, teamwork, and compassion.

Job Summary: The Community Organizer provides housing counseling and tenant rights education to tenants, as well as community outreach for the acquisition and rehabilitation of 4-25 unit buildings.

General Job Responsibilities:

• Provide housing counseling and tenant rights education with the housing counseling team
• Coordinate work with the Department of Building Inspection (DBI)’s code enforcement staff/housing inspectors to maintain good and safe conditions in buildings.
• Perform intake on and provide housing counseling to low-income tenants (primarily monolingual Chinese-speaking) by assessing housing problems, answering questions, providing information and education, offering support or translation services, and making referrals during weekly drop-in hours and by appointment.
• Follow up, conduct intake, and provide housing counseling to families residing in single room occupancy hotels via referrals from peer organizers, City and community agencies.
• Maintain and keep current a system of tracking and reporting housing counseling casework and conduct follow-up work on individual and building wide cases.
• Collect and disseminate subsidized housing information and opportunities (including translation of relevant information) to the public.
• Educate tenants on their rights through housing counseling sessions, workshops, and tenant meetings.
• Work closely with Housing Development & Planning Team to identify properties for Small Sites Program acquisition in greater Chinatown with low-income residents at-risk of eviction.
• Schedule, coordinate, and execute resident meetings to communicate Small Sites Program guidelines, and as needed during acquisition and rehabilitation process.
• Work closely with Project Manager – Small Sites to execute income certifications and lease agreements.
• Coordinate communication and maintain household case files for annual household income re/certifications, leases, and lease addendums.
• Work with Community Organizing Team (COT) on tenant organizing and empowerment:

·        Work with COT in designing and implementing annual grassroots’ leadership development program.

·        Work with COT on organizing strategies and mobilizing tenants on community, housing, and tenant right issues.

·        Build capacity, develop and empower tenant leaders particularly those residing in single room occupancy (SRO) hotels. Organize SRO tenants on housing justice, eviction defense, and tenant rights.

·        Develop and maintain positive working relationships with tenant groups and community agencies and work collaboratively on addressing short-range and long-range housing and community development issues.

·        Work with housing counseling team members and COT team on broader tenant base and capacity building, leadership development, and policies and legislative work to strengthen tenant protections and housing justice.

·        Represent organization in speaking and provide translation for Chinese speaking community and tenant leaders at public events including rallies, hearings, workshops, and meetings.

·        Work with program staff to coordinate tenant input and support on other community related issues such as land use, transportation, public improvement, housing development, and community facilities, etc.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

·        Sensitivity to the needs of low-income and monolingual populations.

·        Knowledge of the needs of low-income residents in Chinatown and San Francisco.

·        Strong public speaking and interpersonal skills, with the ability to conduct workshops and meetings in English and Cantonese.

·        Ability to work independently as well as in a team structure.

·        Good listening skills and ability to exercise patience.

·        Strong communication and negotiation skills.

·        Creative and comprehensive problem solving skills.

·        Commitment to a comprehensive vision of community development and improving the life for low-income people. 

Minimum Qualifications:

·        Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in social services, sociology, psychology, or related field

·        Basic word processing, Excel spreadsheet, and PowerPoint

·        Ability to speak fluently in Cantonese.

·        Capacity to work evening and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications:

·        Experience or familiarity with the Chinatown neighborhood and San Francisco.

·        Ability to speak Mandarin Chinese and/or other Chinese dialects. Read/Write in Chinese.

·        Experience working with SRO families.

·        Knowledge and sensitivity towards homelessness and SRO families in San Francisco and beyond.

 

To Apply: Please use the link below or visit our website www.chinatowncdc.org to complete an online application. https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=ccdc8&jobId=28420&lang=en_US&source=CC2 Fluency in Cantonese is required, and reading, writing, and speaking proficiency in Chinese is preferred as well.