Housing Programs Specialist

City of Bellingham; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 81,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation leave

Holidays

Sick leave

Medical insurance

Life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Retirement plan

457 deferred compensation

Job summary

City of Bellingham’s Planning and Community Development team is seeking a Housing Program Specialist to strengthen housing stability by administering one-to-four family housing loan programs, Homebuyer Assistance, and Rehabilitation loans.

The role involves monitoring grant sub-recipients, ensuring HUD Fair Housing compliance, and collaborating with state and federal agencies and lenders to support residents and local partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social science
• A minimum of one year of experience, preferable in governmental programs, in any of the following areas: housing rehabilitation, real estate loans, bank financing, title and escrow services. Additional experience in the program area is desired.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the applicant with the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Plans and organizes the work processes and day-to-day operations of the Home and Rental Rehabilitation Programs and the Homebuyer Assistance Program.
• Implements the City’s one-to-four family housing loan programs, including the Home and Rental Rehabilitation Loan Programs and the Homebuyer Assistance Program, to provide housing benefits to low and moderate income and special needs households.
• Conducts monitoring of sub-recipients of federal and locally funded grant programs for low income and disabled households.
• Ensures the City meets the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing requirements.
• Works directly with state and federal agencies and local private lending institutions.

Skills

Housing programs experience

Grant/financing knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social science

Job description

Join our Planning and Community Development team as a Housing Program Specialist and help strengthen community housing stability through fair, accessible, and well-managed programs. This role is ideal for detail-oriented problem-solvers who enjoy navigating housing regulations, grant processes, and creative financing to support residents and local partners. If you’re looking to make a meaningful public-service impact, we’d love to hear from you!

JOB SUMMARY

Plans and organizes the work processes and day-to-day operations of the Home and Rental Rehabilitation Programs and the Homebuyer Assistance Program. Implements the City’s one-to-four family housing loan programs, including the Home and Rental Rehabilitation Loan Programs and the Homebuyer Assistance Program, to provide housing benefits to low and moderate income and special needs households. Conducts monitoring of sub-recipients of federal and locally funded grant programs for low income and disabled households. Ensures the City meets the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fair Housing requirements. Works directly with state and federal agencies and local private lending institutions.

For more information, please review the job description.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The current full salary range for this position is $7,214/month - $8,739/month. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Teamsters Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy.

The City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor’s degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master’s degree in a related field when the master’s degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications.

For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours of sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri. 10/23/26 4:30 PM Pacific Time

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social science
• A minimum of one year of experience, preferable in governmental programs, in any of the following areas: housing rehabilitation, real estate loans, bank financing, title and escrow services. Additional experience in the program area is desired.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the applicant with the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.

REQUIREMENTS

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal conviction and local background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
• Valid Washington State driver's license and good driving record. A three-year driving abstract must be submitted at time of hire.
• Must attain a notary public commission within three months of hire and maintain throughout employment.

You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City’s commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Interviews for the most qualified candidates are tentatively scheduled for November 5, 2026. Depending on the volume of qualified applications, we may add an additional day of interviews on November 4, 2026. Invitations to participate in the Interview process will be sent via e-mail on or around October 26, 2026.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant’s criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.