Community Builder

The Community Builder is a live-in employee of a Community Holdings Property who has agreed to live on-site with reduced or free rent in exchange for specific tasks that are designed to support individual tenant wellness, an individual's ability to remain housed, and integrated with the community. The Community Builder assists the Property Manager and Social Service Partners in designing, facilitating and supporting community wide social activities including Tenant Activities Council meetings. The Community Builder uses a “player-coach model” for tenant assistance and is a very active participant with tenants in the change process. In a Community Holdings service-enriched housing environment, these activities are important as increased opportunities for our Service Partners to further engage with Tenants.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Every person is expected to perform any reasonable task or request that is consistent with fulfilling company objectives. The required tasks for this position include: 1. Supporting the Tenant Activities Council, including (monthly minimum) preparation, setup, take-down, and logistics 2. Creating and maintaining a monthly calendar and newsletter of social and community opportunities to help communicate and encourage participation amongst tenants 3. As needed and when appropriately trained as a Peer Support Specialist, supporting individual Tenants through interactions with Property Management or Social Services

Minimum Qualification

A person should be willing to model prosocial tenant behaviors. The person must be willing to coach tenants with special needs to manage their apartments and integrate into the larger building and local neighborhood.

Some experience with Special Populations, including working with persons who were previously homeless; or who have mental health, developmental disabilities, physical challenges, or who are aging, is preferred.

Bachelor’s Degree in social services is preferred. Recovery Support Specialist or Peer Support Specialist Certification is preferred. Bilingual in languages spoken by current tenants is preferred.

Required Skills and Abilities

Strong English-speaking skills are required. Must develop proficiency on the computer in utilizing the Microsoft Office Suite as well as the Google Suite.

The person, as part of their duties, must be able to work together in a team and is expected to set up tables, chairs, and electronics. They will need to bend and lift and to be involved in cleaning both floors and other materials as a part of their duties. They will lead activities and will be expected to speak at public events as a coordinator of some activities.

Must maintain an active cell phone and email address at all times and make sure that this information is current at all times.

If the Community Builder is not on-site during an event, they will be available quickly if there are problems involved with the setup for any events. Flexibility is built into the schedule, although some weekend availability is required.

Most tenants in supportive housing settings do not have a car. The Community Builder is required to learn the local public transportation options and to help make sure that tenants understand those options. As a part of their duties, new tenants may need to have the Community Builder or other tenants to ride alongside a tenant unfamiliar with public transportation.

A person in this position will be required to follow a specific code of conduct to protect themselves and the company. The person in this position will need a great deal of sound judgment and must be able to manage multiple personal roles within the building.

Code of Conduct

The Community Builder at Community Holdings Properties assists tenants in learning to integrate into their new apartment, new community, and new neighborhood. Many of our tenants come to our buildings from living on the street or from institutional settings and are learning about living on their own in a regular community apartment for the very first time.

A community builder, particularly one with similar experiences to draw upon, can assist other tenants by quietly teaching new skills alongside tenants in the community in a way that complements and extends the roles of other professional staff.

A Community Builder has an annual budget for purchasing cleaning supplies, food, or other household supplies to use in teaching tenants to manage their apartment.

The Community Builder may also collect, assemble and distribute individual monthly feedback from the Property Management Team as it is provided to each tenant in a non-judgmental way and to assist each tenant in using that feedback to improve their scores across time.

The Community Builder will also serve as a significant tenant liaison to the building management through facilitating the creation of a Tenant Activities Council at the building. This includes making sure that the group establishes a positive building community able to create and manage their Tenant Council Activities Budget under the supervision of the Tenant Services Director and the onsite Property Manager.

As a Community Builder, you shall create clear pathways for other tenants to request and to voluntarily learn from you on how to manage their apartment, neighborhood relationships, public transportation, budgeting, apartment organization, and getting along with neighbors.

As a community builder you must use good judgment and be able to selectively share your past histories for the benefit of other tenants.

As a community builder, you must be able to set strong and careful professional boundaries with a strong personal or professional support system in place. You will receive direct supervision from the Tenant Services Director.

Notes

As a contract employee, the employee is responsible for setting their own schedule but is expected to be reasonably available on weekends and evenings to assist with activity setup and take-down or after-hour urgent matters as requested by the Property Manager, which must be recorded.

Specific monthly hours will be set and approved by the Property Manager and any overtime must be pre-approved.

Failure to complete all required duties or termination of this job will result in the individual’s requirement to pay the full market value of the rent. At their discretion, Community Holdings may waive this rent requirement for up to 30 days.

A community builder has a complex role in which they are both a tenant and a staff member. To manage this dual role, you will receive two Community Holdings shirts to wear while officially on duty. This uniform helps tenants better understand your dual role and responsibility.

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