We’re looking for a dedicated housing advocate to lead our efforts in South Texas

We’re seeking a dedicated co-director to lead our new South Texas regional office. Responsibilities include: working with public interest attorneys and low-income community organizations to research, investigate, educate, analyze and advocate solutions to promote fair housing, affordable housing, environmental justice and low-income community development.

The position will be based in Austin or San Antonio, and will serve the southern part of Texas, including the cities of Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Laredo and Corpus Christi. The position involves regular travel across South Texas and work hours occasionally outside traditional business hours. The position requires a valid drivers license.

In addition to working across the broad range of housing, environmental justice and low-income community development issues, the position is expected to be heavily engaged in research and monitoring and oversight of Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery efforts.

This position is funded through a two-year grant with the possibility, but not a guarantee, that funding for the position will be extended.

The individual we seek will work closely with local public interest attorneys, grassroots neighborhood leaders and organizations representing low-income people and neighborhoods. The new Texas Housers South Texas office will be part of a statewide team of researchers and policy experts comprised of our offices in Austin, Houston, the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Northwest Texas.

We are seeking a person with self-confidence and humility, intelligence, a commitment to racial and economic justice, a person who can be both a leader and a team player.

We prefer someone with experience and knowledge of issues and conditions facing low-income persons and neighborhoods in San Antonio and Corpus Christi in particular and South Texas generally. The position reports to Texas Houser’s Austin senior co-directors and receives support from our highly skilled statewide team of researchers, planners and communications professionals.

PREFERRED COMPETENCIES (not all required)

• Commitment to social, economic, and racial justice.
• Experience in grassroots community outreach, education and engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Strong skills in research, policy analysis and the use of social and traditional media to effectively engage in grassroots education and outreach.
• Superior research, data aggregation and analytical skills.
• Critical thinking and problem solving.
• Strong computer literacy with knowledge of Geographic Information System (GIS).
• Education background and/or experience in civil rights law, public administration and public policy (especially in the fields of housing and community development) and/or municipal and neighborhood planning.
• Familiarity with contemporary social science research in housing policy, urban and rural sociology, economics, African-American or Mexican-American history or related areas.
• Knowledge of affordable housing, environmental and public infrastructure issues and problems facing impoverished communities (preferably with specific knowledge of San Antonio and South Texas).
• Excellent organization, time management and project management skills.
• Ability to work effectively and diplomatically with strong personalities, peers, attorneys, civil servants, neighborhood leaders, media, public officials, etc..

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work to identify and solve problems in five to seven South Texas neighborhoods.
• Identify, engage, educate and support grassroots, low-income neighborhood leaders on fair housing, affordable housing, community development and environmental issues that impact their lives and communities.
• Research, identify, collect data and document fair housing, affordable housing, community development and environmental issues.
• Leverage the expertise of academics, government officials, community leaders and Texas Housers staff to assess issues and identify solutions.
• Interpret research and data and respond to requests for research and information from neighborhood leaders, attorneys, public officials and the media.
• Other duties as assigned.