Housing Development Specialist II (TASS)

Housing Development Specialist II

The Housing and Revitalization Department is seeking to fill a Housing Development Specialist II position. This is an intermediate level program analyst level, which performs a full range of professional analyst assignments. The Housing Development Specialist II will work closely with the program manager to outline or discuss possible problem areas and define objectives, plans, priorities, and deadlines. Under general supervision, the Housing Development Specialist is responsible for supporting long-term recovery efforts through the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding to directly serve identified residents impacted by the disaster with eligible home repairs. Located within the City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department's (HRD), The Housing Development Specialist II directly serves individuals eligible for the Private Sewer Repair Program. Providing a high level of customer service, the Housing Development Specialist works one-on-one with residents in the program area providing community outreach and assistance with program application and participation. As the participants' primary point of contact, the Housing Development Specialist assists program participants in getting services. This position takes increased responsibility for data collection, reporting, streamlining services and coordination.

Develops, administers, monitors or evaluates economic and community development programs, grants and / or contracts for conformance, effectiveness and timeliness.

Attends meetings of other governmental agencies, business, and community groups as assigned and summarizes discussion and action items; drafts responses to requests for information

Assists in drafting proposed statements of work, requests for proposals, and requests for qualifications

Upon award of contracts, tracks contractor performance

Collaborates and participates with the Office of Contracting and Procurement in the coordination of the bid process with other staff, contractors, and vendors to ensure bids are obtained in a timely manner

Performs cost estimates for required rehabilitation, modernization, and / or structural repairs and ensures that work is in compliance with program guidelines and / or HUD requirements

Responds to HUD monitoring findings as a result of periodic audits

Manages and provides oversight over the utilization of various City tax abatements, primarily regarding housing and mixed-use developments

Inspects potential and ongoing projects to ensure they have met Housing Quality Standards and other building quality standards including audit for completion, requirements for minimum health and safety standards, and mechanical, engineering, and technical standards

Provides assistance to agencies / departments in preparing for internal and external HUD audits and maintains internal record inventory system providing ease of access as audit requests are made

Reports to management about asset utilization and audit results and recommends changes in operations and financial activities

Enforces Federal and local labor relations regulations, including but not limited to the Davis-Bacon related acts

Reviews payroll reports and worksheets for labor compliance to meet certain grant requirements

Serves as liaison with grantors, grant recipients, grant sub-recipients, and assigned neighborhoods to clarify, interpret, and resolve issues

Responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints

Performs special projects and other duties as assigned

While this role typically follows regular business hours, flexibility to work nights and weekends as needed is required based on project demands and business needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Bilingual - English and Spanish, preferred.

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Personable, positive demeanor with a customer service orientation

Experience with data entry; ability to perform detailed case management and tracking

Experience with spreadsheets and document creation

Able to adapt easily to changes

Demonstrates professionalism and a desire for excellence

Familiar with CRM tools such as Smartsheets, Neighborly, Box, Microsoft Suite etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course of work in business administration, public administration, public policy, economics, finance, accounting, urban studies, information technology, or a closely related field. Minimum of three (2) years professional experience in affordable housing development, including risk evaluation and compliance with federal funding requirements. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be substituted to meet the education and experience requirements of this position.

Supplemental Information

This is a Temporary Administrative Special Services (TASS) position.