Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Neighborhood Development and Stabilization

Job description

About the Agency: The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike. Your Team: The Office of Neighborhood Strategies (ONS) collaborates with nonprofits, community stakeholders, and elected officials to empower tenants and homeowners and to plan for neighborhood change, including the redevelopment of public land for affordable housing. The Office of Neighborhood Strategies is composed of two divisions and a cross-divisional unit reporting to the Deputy Commissioner: - The Division of Planning and Predevelopment (P&P) manages HPD’s predevelopment and land use pipeline on City-owned land, as well as the agency’s land use and resiliency policy. - The Division of Neighborhood Development and Stabilization (NDS) conducts community engagement and outreach through tenant and owner support programs, education programs, partnerships with community-based organizations, and neighborhood plans. - The Strategic Initiatives Unit (SIU) leads special planning and policy initiatives and provides essential technical, planning, and policy support to staff and the Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Strategies. Your Impact: As the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Neighborhood Development and Stabilization, you will lead a talented group of professionals in helping to ensure that HPD’s strategies and programs related to strategic preservation, and tenant and owner outreach/education strengthen the social, economic, and physical health of neighborhoods in a coordinated, holistic, and equity-driven manner. Your Role: Your role will be to manage approximately 30 thoughtful, engaged directors, project managers, and contracts managers organized into five teams: - The Tenant Engagement and Special Projects Team plays a key role in implementing the tenant protection strategies outlined in the Mayor’s Block by Block Housing Plan and the Rental Ripoff Report. The team manages the Partners in Preservation program, which combats tenant harassment and displacement by supporting tenant organizing and improving coordination between 20 community-based organizations, legal services providers, and government. The team also conducts trainings and public awareness campaigns to educate tenants about their rights and available resources. - The Owner Engagement and Events Team lead HPD’s Homeowner Help Desk program a centralized resource for all NYC homeowners to receive support on foreclosure, home repairs, flood risk, estate planning, and scams. The team also manages the Zombie Homes Initiative and organizes Housing Resource Fairs, virtual and in-person classes on a wide range of topics, and other outreach events for homeowners, multi-family property owners, and the broader public. - The Neighborhood Contracts Team administers contracts with 80+ community-based organizations throughout New York City that provide housing services for tenants and homeowners including foreclosure prevention counseling, estate planning, tenant organizing and leadership development. The funding amounts to approximately $20 million per year, and the team closely works with the providers to develop the scopes of work, register their contracts, and process their invoices - The HPD Navigators Team is HPD’s customer service team. The team answers calls and emails from members of the public and helps them navigate agency resources. Inquiries are received either directly through the agency’s main phone line and email (212-863-6300 and ) or as referrals from HPD staff, other City agencies, or partners. - The Neighborhood Planning and Equity Initiatives Team works with community stakeholders to promote equitable, diverse, and livable neighborhoods. The team coordinates with other HPD divisions, sister agencies, local stakeholders, and community-based organizations to conduct research, facilitate community planning workshops, implement targeted outreach to property owners, and produce neighborhood housing plans and policies. Your Responsibilities: PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES - Oversee the development and implementation of strategies to proactively preserve affordable housing and ensure tenants and homeowners are protected from displacement. - Coordinate affordable housing studies and implementation strategies in collaboration with other internal partners and external agencies, such as the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Department of City Planning, and New York City Housing Authority. STAFF MANAGEMENT & COACHING - Coach division staff, including 2 Executive Director and a team of 5 Directors, to be effective managers and leaders within HPD and the communities that we serve. - Define and drive innovations focused on internal operations in order to improve outcomes and the efficiency of staff. POLICY & PLANNING LEADERSHIP - Represent HPD interests in high-profile public-private planning/development processes, interagency policymaking initiatives, and in meetings with elected officials, exercising substantial independent judgment and providing direction to agency partners. Preferred skills - Subject-matter expertise: Thorough knowledge of New York City government, land use, affordable housing, and city planning issues and principles, including experience with neighborhood development and anti-displacement strategies; and experience working with tenant organizers, community-based organizations, civic associations, and advocacy organizations; a minimum of six years of professional experience in a related field; candidates with master's degrees in public administration, public policy, urban planning, urban design, or real estate are strongly preferred. - Exceptional project management skills, including ability to execute. Proven ability to: manage teams and complex projects with multiple internal and external stakeholders; to receive direction and anticipate next steps; to think through, communicate, document, organize, and execute on project goals and keep other team members on schedule. Ability to manage up, down, and across teams. Attentive to the details, organized, and able to follow through. - Outstanding communication skills: Extremely strong written, verbal, and presentation skills. Proven ability to produce and present high-quality materials in a variety of formats for internal and external audiences with varying levels of subject-matter expertise. - Strong analytical skills. Ability to understand, analyze and communicate qualitative and quantitative information in a variety of formats. - Good judgment: Ability to analyze a situation and understand what is needed, keen judgement about when additional input is needed, when to flag or resolve issues, and how to elevate when appropriate. - Collaborative and creative spirit: Excited to be part of a team, to work with others to solve problems creatively and get quality work done. Ability to hear, take, and give feedback effectively and productively; to motivate peers to get the job done. ADMINISTRATIVE PROJECT DIRECTO - 95566 1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of experience in one or more of the following areas: community organization, social work, urban development projects, real estate, public administration, or a related field, of which two years must have been in a field directly related to neighborhood improvement such as housing, community organization, urban renewal or planning, or real estate. A Law Degree or graduate work in an appropriate field may be substituted for up to two years of the general experience required; or 2. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", including part-time and/or volunteer experience. The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.