Affordable Housing Coordinator

City of Richmond; British Columbia; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A municipal government in British Columbia is seeking an Affordable Housing Coordinator to manage the Low-End Market Rental program. The successful candidate will liaise with housing operators and provide public guidance on affordable housing opportunities. This role requires a Bachelor’s degree and relevant experience in housing programs. Strong communication skills and data management abilities are essential. The position is office-based with collaboration across multiple stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 2 years of experience supporting a rental housing program.
• Experience in customer service related to housing.
• Ability to work independently and provide sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for public inquiries.
• Conduct outreach to verify unit availability.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners.

Skills

Knowledge of LEMR program

Housing sector expertise in Richmond

Project coordination skills

Communication skills

Data collection techniques

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in planning or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Client relationship management programs

Job description

Overview

Reporting directly to the Manager, Affordable Housing, the Affordable Housing Coordinator is responsible for administering operational aspects of the Low-End Market Rental (LEMR) Program, which includes regular liaison with a wide variety of external contacts including home developers and not-for-profit housing operators to identify affordable housing opportunities, including existing rental vacancies. The incumbent provides regular updates to maintain online information for available and upcoming housing units, recommends LEMR program adjustments to improve transparency, efficiency and the overall integrity of the Program, and acts as the primary contact for rental housing inquiries from the public. The incumbent operates in a key support role to coordinate the growing number of LEMR units in the City over the medium to long term and performs assigned duties to implement the program under well-established guidelines and parameters.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for public inquiries about LEMR housing and provide personalized guidance on eligibility, application procedures, and required documentation.
• Conduct regular outreach to LEMR owners and operators to collect and verify unit availability and to coordinate and maintain a web-based housing registry of available and upcoming LEMR homes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with housing operators to support ongoing collaboration.
• Collect and manage data on registry usage, applicant interest, tenant eligibility, and operator engagement in accordance with City privacy protocols.
• Collaborate with internal City staff and external partners, such as BC Housing and non-profit housing operators, to support applicant transitioning into more stable, affordable housing.
• Track and report performance using established indicators, provide regular updates to the Manager, and facilitate sharing of information.
• Update public-facing housing resources, which includes reviewing and editing the City’s Affordable Housing Guide, online content, fact sheets, digital mapping resource and other LEMR-related communication materials.
• Provide input into Council reports under the guidance of the Manager, and identify applicants concerns and participation gaps from operators.
• Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of the objectives and policies of the LEMR program and the work of non-profit organizations that support the delivery of housing across the housing continuum.
• Considerable knowledge of the housing sector in Richmond, the Metro Vancouver region, and British Columbia, including local non-profit housing operators, home builders, industry organizations and service providers.
• Considerable knowledge of legislative and policy frameworks that govern housing tenancy in British Columbia, including Rental Tenancy Act, Local Government Act, and related regulations and procedures and practices.
• Working knowledge of project coordination best practices and methods, including budget forecasting, planning, and implementation of projects throughout the full lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of data collection techniques, tools, and methods for developing data inventories and conducting analyses.
• Ability to work independently, deliver results and exercise a considerable degree of independent judgment within the sensitivities of a political and regulatory environment.
• Proven skills in implementing, monitoring, evaluating and recommending changes to large-scale programs.
• Proven skill in providing advice, guidance and direction on housing matters.
• Experience with adjusting project plans and advancing projects subject to ongoing internal and external input.
• Proven aptitude for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners or contacts, such as other levels of government, community members and organizations.
• Proven skill in demonstrating sound judgment, diplomacy and an understanding of the organization’s strategic priorities.
• Proven track record of maintaining a high degree of confidentiality and handling sensitive information with discretion.
• Proven skill in effectively communicating both verbally and in writing, using a variety of methods, including delivering presentations to diverse internal and external groups.
• Proven skill in exercising decision-making, problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to prepare and maintain a variety of correspondence, reports and records related to the work.
• Proficieint in using client relationship management programs and Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

Qualifications and Experience:

• A minimum of over one (1) year and up to and including two (2) years of experience related to supporting a rental housing program and providing customer service.
• A Bachelor’s Degree from a recognized post-secondary educational institution in planning, geography, urban studies or related discipline.
• An equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in an office environment. Routine visual effort and mental concentration is required.