Housing Policy Coordinator

Housing Grants Manager

The Housing Grants Manager tracks program funds, budgets, and payments, performs periodic monitoring and reporting on programs and projects for compliance with state and federal regulations, tracks and reports performance data for annual reports, manages and reports on loans and mortgages, manages tenant-based rental activities, maintains housing development and tenant-based rental activity files, prepares and manages CHDO and TBRA contracts and housing development MOUs, maintains regulatory information, reviews subordination and mortgage discharge requests, conducts environmental reviews of housing development and other projects, conducts annual requalification of CHDO, manages Housing Division records retention and acts as a resource for staff and developers.

Essential Functions :

• Tracks and reports on federal HOME, HOME-ARP, CDBG funds, and local housing programs.
• Assists in the development of an annual department budget and creation of both state and federal reports including the five (5) year HUD Consolidated plan, one (1) year action plan and the CAPER Report.
• Manages and maintains divisional HUD data and reporting systems.
• Tracks, reports and manages divisional loan payments.
• Performs both on and off-site monitoring duties.
• Tracks and monitors compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Tracks and monitors compliance for the Affordable Dwelling Units created under the City's Zoning Ordinance, the HOME Program, 100 Homes / 49 More Units initiatives, and other local housing programs.
• Tracks and reports performance data.
• Documents and tracks HOME Matching funds.
• Manages and reports on program loans and mortgages.
• Reviews requests for mortgage subordinations, loan repayment, and mortgage discharges.
• Manages and maintains tenant-based rental assistance activities, contracts, and files.
• Prepares contracts and MOUs, reviews invoices, and maintains regulatory information.
• Assists in completing environmental reviews of HUD-funded housing development and other projects.
• Performs underwriting reviews prior to funding HOME-funded housing development projects.
• Reviews housing proposals and participates in funding decisions regarding Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Challenge Grant funds.
• Reviews affordable housing development projects that may be subject to restrictions under state and federal grant programs or subject to Community Preservation Act and Municipal Trust requirements and those subject to local ordinances such as that governing Inclusionary Housing.
• Tracks housing development projects during construction, including review of invoices.
• Conducts requalification of the City's Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) annually and as needed for commitment of HOME funds.
• Serves as a resource for staff and developers.
• Manages Housing Division records retention.
• Supervises the Housing Programs Compliance Coordinator / Officers
• Supervises the Housing Development Program Manager

Minimum Qualifications :

Education and Experience : Bachelor's degree in housing, management, policy, or related field and five (5) to seven (7) years' experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. HOME Program Specialist Certification in Rental Projects and HOME Program Compliance preferred.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill :

Knowledge : Sufficient work experience in HUD, CDBG, and HOME program regulations, and knowledge of residential property acquisition and financing, mortgages, loans, contracts, rental housing laws, and accounting procedures.

Ability : Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to understand legal documents, ability to operate a computer; ability to develop and maintain computer based and manual information systems; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to work independently and set priorities.

Skill : Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skills in the use of personal computers and office software including word processing, spreadsheet applications in particular Excel, data base management and internet applications.

Work Environment :

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position's essential functions. Physical Skills Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.). Motor Skills Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and / or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers. Visual Skills Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours : Full-Time Salary : $75,000.00 annualized, plus benefits Union : Non-Union FLSA : Exempt

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees :

MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards :

4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP) Long term disability through Sun Life Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health Annual cancer screening & wellness release Somerville Retirement Pension System Tuition reimbursement MBTA pass program FREE Blue Bikes membership Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.