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Housing Compliance Coordinator

City of Somerville

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Department: OSPCD

Description/ Duties:

The Housing Coordinator engages in an array of activities and projects that aid the City of Somerville in developing and implementing federal housing programs such as CDBG and HOME, and other programs to meet community needs. General responsibilities include providing assistance and support in the administration of Somerville’s affordable housing programs. Specific duties include monitoring Housing Division projects to ensure compliance with loan restrictions including owner-occupancy requirements, affordable rental restrictions, affordable resale restrictions, housing quality standards, income eligibility requirements, and other assignments.

Among other assignments, the Program Coordinator is responsible for recording new mortgages, mortgage discharges, and restrictive covenants at the Registry of Deeds; maintaining loan files, project monitoring files, project compliance tracking spreadsheets and databases; and coordinating loan payoffs and discharges of completed mortgages and restrictions. The Coordinator is responsible for initiating enforcement procedures against property owners and tenants as necessary, and for the timely resolution of non-compliance events. The Coordinator also responds to inquiries from Somerville residents about landlord tenant problems and financial assistance for payment of rent and/or utility bills, and directs callers to available resources as appropriate.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

  • Stays current on best practices and industry standards regarding compliance and monitoring of affordable housing programs, including and CDBG and HOME-funded projects;
  • Reviews applications for completeness to ensure all necessary documentation is provided for housing programs and answers applicant inquiries for the Division’s affordable housing programs;
  • Determines and certifies income eligibility of property owners, tenants and applicants for housing programs;
  • Educate and orient new owners and tenants of City-funded properties on compliance and monitoring obligations regarding rental and homeownership restrictions and other requirements;
  • Tracks and monitors projects for compliance with occupancy, rent, and income restrictions for Inclusionary Housing and other affordable housing programs, including CDBG and HOME among others;
  • Identifies situations of non-compliance; initiates and coordinates timely resolutions.
  • Records and researches documents at Middlesex South County Registry of Deeds and researches properties on the Registry’s website;
  • Maintains and updates Division’s mortgage and project monitoring spreadsheets and databases as needed;
  • Coordinates loan payoffs and mortgage discharges;
  • Performs property inspections as needed for compliance with housing quality, as well as health and safety standards;
  • Reviews requests for consents to refinance and/or subordinate mortgages on properties in which the Division has a direct financial interest and/or an interest in preserving affordability;
  • Calculates affordable housing resale prices on approvals to refinance restricted homeownership properties;
  • Prepares and reviews reports on program activities, as needed;
  • Prepares requisitions and invoices for payment through the City’s MUNIS system in support of all housing activities and programs as necessary;
  • Provides information and support as needed to staff of the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and other Housing Division programs and staff as needed;
  • Provides customer service and referrals as needed, to tenants and owners with housing complaints or seeking financial assistance for rent and utility payments, including referral resources and information on tenant/landlord laws;
  • Assists with updating program information and manuals as may be occasionally needed;
  • Assists with the Division’s marketing and outreach efforts as may be occasionally needed;
  • Attends night meetings as may be occasionally needed.

Other duties as assigned.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: College Degree and three (3) to five (5) years’ experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Special Requirements: Bi-lingual ability in Spanish, Portuguese, and/or Haitian-Creole is preferred but not required.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill:

Knowledge: Knowledge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Continuum of Care, and the Community Preservation Act is preferred. Knowledge of and/or experience with other programs geared toward maintaining and expanding affordable housing opportunities. Knowledge and facility with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook) and knowledge of Microsoft Access, and PowerPoint.

Abilities: Position requires the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with other City departments, state and federal agencies, architects, contractors, developers, owners, supervisors, employees, and the general public. Demonstrates the ability to work as a team member and maintain project timelines; continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide high quality customer service to the public at-large.

Skills: This position requires strong skills in oral and written communication; excellent customer service skills; skill working with computers and software, and strong organizational skills.


Application Procedure:

Send resume along with a cover letter by Tuesday, February 21, 2017 to:

City Hall Personnel Office
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville MA 02143
Fax: 617-666-4426
TTY: 1-866-808-4851

Email: employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request.

Salary: $51,500.00 per year; paid weekly at $990.39 Plus Benefits.