NLIHC seeks a project coordinator for its ERASE (End Rental Arears to Stop Evictions) project to ensure that the historic emergency rental assistance ($46 billion) appropriated by Congress reaches the lowest-income and most marginalized renters it is intended to help. This is a one-year position (with the possibility of extension depending on funding) reporting to the ERASE senior project director.
Project Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused two unprecedented developments affecting low-income renters. The first is ominous and potentially catastrophic: it has caused many millions of people to fall behind in their rent, placing them at risk of ultimate eviction. The second is more promising: unprecedented emergency rental assistance to eliminate and avoid rental arrears.
This project, led and coordinated by NLIHC, is designed to ensure that the historic aid enacted by Congress reaches the lowest-income and most marginalized renters in need. The project – which would End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions (ERASE) – seeks to eliminate rental indebtedness caused by the pandemic and to prevent evictions by: tracking and analyzing emergency rental assistance utilization; documenting and sharing best practices and toolkits; influencing and shaping program design at federal, state, local levels; developing key partnerships for outreach and education; and assessing the remaining needs to inform advocacy for long-term investments to end housing instability and homelessness in the United States. A key part of ERASE will be to develop and nurture a cohort of state partners working to ensure equitable ERA programs.
Job Description
The ERASE project coordinator, working closely with the senior project director, will have the following responsibilities:
- Work with the senior director and ERASE team to support the activities of a team of NLIHC staff and consultants dedicated to the ERASE project:
- Work with the senior director to develop and implement all aspects of the ERASE project plan
- Support the senior director in the coordination of an ERASE study to assess ERA impact on tenant outcomes
- Work with and support the NLIHC ERASE team to build upon and advance the ERASE Research and Learning Network:
- Translate research into action base tools to support program implementation
- Prepare and broadly disseminate materials designed to ensure that ERA advances racial equity and reaches the lowest-income and most marginalized renters
- Track and highlight developing trends related to landlord participation, self-attestation (of need, income, rental payments, etc.), and direct-to-tenant assistance, and ensure language translation and other accessibility features
- Assist with the development and dissemination of toolkits, model forms, model programs and case studies to support jurisdictions in implementing key features in their ERA programs
- Identify, document, and share best practices, lessons learned, challenges and success related to emergency rental assistance with a specific lens towards equity
- Support the engagement of ERA Program Administrators in the implementation of ERA and in developing efforts to sustain ERA long term:
- Provide technical assistance and support to assist state and local program administrators to ensure ERA funds are utilized effectively and efficiently and assist the lowest-income people in need
- Ensure that program administrators have the materials, tools, best practices, and other supports needed to support ERA implementation
- Support opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, through a listserv, peer calls, and other mechanisms, to allow for program administrators to share lessons learned and useful tools/information with each other
- Assist in the development of a blueprint for scaling and sustaining emergency rental assistance including recommendations for funding, program design and policy reform
- Coordinate with the senior director and policy team to identify areas for national advocacy and to ensure effective integration of state and local efforts into national efforts
- Support the senior director in preparing reports for NLIHC donors on activities, outputs, and outcomes of ERASE, including summaries of activities undertaken by state and local grantees, the project steering committee, and other relevant progress
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
To receive serious consideration for this position, an applicant should have the following attributes and background:
- A bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred). Relevant life experience may be substituted for years of education
- A minimum of 2 to 3 years previous experience working in, coordinating, or leading multi-faceted projects, national initiatives, or campaigns. Exceptional candidates with fewer years of such experience may be considered
- A demonstrated, clear commitment to race equity, affordable housing, and the alleviation of poverty
- Experience successfully building working, collaborative partnerships among organizations
- Demonstrated excellence in project management and organizational skills
- Excellent communications skills, both orally and in writing
- Experience providing technical assistance, coordinating research, policy analysis, and systems change
- An ability to work in a diverse, fast-paced environment
Compensation and Benefits: An equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, NLIHC offers a competitive salary and benefits package. This is a full-time position which can be remote or located in Washington, DC.
Status: Full-time (exempt)
Reports To: ERASE Senior Project Director
Job Application Process: Candidates for this position should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to: Sarah Gallagher, ERASE senior project director at [email protected]. The cover letter should describe the candidate’s interest in, and relevant experiences for, the position, and it should include salary requirements and the names and contact information for at least three people serving as candidate references, two of which should be current or former supervisors (NLIHC will not contact references before consulting with the candidate).