Community Lawyering Project Housing Advocacy Coordinator

The mission of Bread for the City is to help Washington, DC residents living with low income to develop the power to determine the future of their own communities. We provide food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty. We seek justice through community organizing and public advocacy. We work to uproot racism, a major cause of poverty. We are committed to treating our clients with the dignity and respect that all people deserve.

Bread for the City’s Legal Clinic works to ensure better access to justice for individuals in our nation’s capital. The Legal Clinic provides front-line civil legal services primarily in three areas of law: housing, family, and public benefits.

Position Description:

The Legal Clinic seeks a Housing Advocacy Coordinator to provide support to our Community Lawyering Project (CLP) based out of our Southeast Center. The CLP uses legal advocacy and organizing to help achieve solutions to community-identified issues in ways that develop local leadership and institutions that can continue to exert power to effect systemic change. The project is currently engaged in direct representation, advocacy, community education and community building on issues of affordable housing preservation and creation.

A successful candidate will want to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment that often requires multi-tasking while at the same time maintaining a high level of attention to detail.

Responsibilities:

• Performing basic clerical support;
• Supporting all aspects of litigation and transactional work;
• Conducting investigations;
• Meeting with clients both in the office and at their homes;
• Conducting initial applicant interviews and follow-ups;
• Research and identify local and national policy issues relevant to community interests in order to identify timely opportunities to shape local policy;
• Lead and provide support for identified tenant associations, set relevant agenda items, facilitate conversations, and ensure that association members drive the group’s focus; and
• Train and convene community members to testify, write letters, speak with representatives and advocate on behalf of issues of importance to them.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice and/or willingness to learn and carry out Bread for the City’s commitments in these areas;
• Strong oral and written communication skills;
• Critical and analytical thinking skills and basic math skills;
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments;
• Excellent organizational skills, with attention to detail;
• High degree of flexibility and ability to work well under pressure;
• Desire to take initiative in managing projects;
• Sense of humor, seriously;
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with other staff and volunteers in a professional manner;
• Interest in interacting with a wide variety of people, including clients, housing providers, government agencies and community organizations;
• Comfortable working in an open work environment, with no private offices for staff when our Centers re-open to Legal Clinic staff (date to-be-determined);
• Access to a car or comfortability getting to all parts of the city using public transportation when our in-person client work resumes (date to-be-determined);
• Familiarity with Google Organization & Productivity tools (Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar) and/or ability to learn new technology systems;
• Knowledge of federal and DC housing policy and/or community lawyering/organizing a plus; and
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) skills preferred but not required.

Compensation:

Bread for the City offers a salary of $45,000 ($46,000 with Spanish proficiency) for this position. We also offer a generous benefits package, which can be reviewed at https://breadforthecity.org/work-with-us/.

Bread for the City is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, family responsibility, physical or mental disability, medical condition, status as a veteran, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies.

To apply:

You must complete an application through Bread for the City’s ADP portal. Go to www.breadforthecity.org/work and click on the "Community Lawyering Project Housing Advocacy Coordinator" position. Then select "apply" at the top right hand corner to register for a login and apply for the position. Please upload a resume and cover letter through this online application process. Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls, please.