The Department of Housing is a catalyst for increasing access to high-quality affordable housing for households earning a variety of incomes, and supporting related community development activities, so that housing and robust services exist for people of all income levels and ages in San Mateo County. The Department consists of two divisions, Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Housing Authority of the County of San Mateo.
Reporting to the HCD Supervisor and HCD Housing Program Manager, the Housing and Community Development Specialist II/III position will engage in a variety of functions aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing throughout San Mateo County and forging partnerships to address critical housing needs. A portion of the job duties will be more programmatic in nature and will require the Specialist to provide a variety of program support services including developing program objectives, preparing Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs), evaluating project proposals and underwriting, understanding and applying HUD and other program regulations, managing the Department's role in facilitating affordable housing developments, preparing contract documents, monitoring the progress of funding recipients, and providing technical assistance to and working with community groups on housing-related issues. Other job duties will be more policy oriented and will require the Specialist to provide a variety of policy and partnership support to the Department of Housing and its interagency and private partners, nonprofit and for-profit, to support housing initiatives.
The HCD Specialist's programmatic support duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Managing the County's relationship with, and providing technical assistance to, non-profit and for-profit organizations funded or seeking funding from the Department of Housing to facilitate development processes while ensuring compliance with applicable County, State and Federal requirements.
- Negotiating contract terms with outside vendors, consultants or organizations and monitoring and evaluating fiscal and legal liability of same.
- Administering home buyer and home repair programs, including underwriting for eligibility and affordability, and preparing loan documents, and contracts.
- Managing the assets of the Department's loans and grants portfolio and providing analysis and recommendations in response to requests to subordinate, refinance, or restructure existing DOH loans.
- Coordinating the funding cycles of various funding sources including but not limited to the County Affordable Housing Fund and Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG).
- Assisting in the process of awarding funds from the County's Affordable Housing Fund, funded largely by Measure K sales tax proceeds.
- Developing and administering housing and community development programs which support affordable new construction, acquisition of existing affordable housing, rehabilitation, and first-time home ownership.
- Managing a portfolio of grantees to ensure compliance with local, State and Federal regulations, including environmental reviews and prevailing wage requirements.
- Managing a portfolio of grantees including negotiating contracts, processing requests for payment, and reviewing quarterly and/or annual progress reports.
- Providing support and oversight to planning and developing large scale housing projects sponsored or co-sponsored by the San Mateo County Department of Housing.
- Monitoring the performance of grantees and writing performance reports as needed.
- Preparing written reports such as the Annual Action Plan and Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER).
- Conducting due diligence reviews on applications for community development and public services, housing grants and loans and coordinating with consultants on final staff recommendation reports.
- Preparing funding recommendations, memos, resolutions and other materials that will go to the Board of Supervisors.
- Interpreting, explaining, and directing the enforcement of all applicable standards, codes and regulations.
- May represent the Department of Housing at meetings of the County Board of Supervisors.
- Preparing detailed written reports, policies, procedures and contracts.
- Assisting in the Department’s response to Federal, State, and County audits.
The HCD Specialist's policy and partnership support duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Developing plans, objectives and implementation strategies for Department of Housing outreach, technical assistance, and partnership initiatives.
- Acting as representative of the Department of Housing in collaborations with community stakeholders and inter-departmental work within the County.
- Researching, analyzing, and summarizing data on key housing initiatives in partnership with the Department's interagency and private partners, nonprofit and for-profit.
- Assisting with the development of Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) priorities, guidelines and processes.
- Researching, analyzing, and helping develop affordable housing policy solutions addressing County needs, and evaluating impacts on underserved and underrepresented communities.
- Monitoring the progress of affordable housing-related collaborations and initiatives in which the Housing Department is participating; and engaging in problem-solving as needed when challenges arise.
- Identifying and evaluating new funding programs and opportunities for the County and its partners to access these new programs.
- Investigating and developing new opportunities for the Department to provide support and assistance to cities, housing developers, housing advocates, and others in facilitating the creation of housing.
The HCD Specialist will have primary responsibility for developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating a variety of projects and work tasks as described above, including managing the loan-making processes for both multifamily and single-family first-time homebuyer programs. In addition, the HCD Specialist will be expected to work productively on housing-related projects and initiatives with a variety of community groups, city and county staff, and elected officials, developers, community leaders, and other diverse stakeholders.
Experience in one or more of the following is highly desirable:
- Housing policy or housing program development and implementation.
- First-time homebuyer and/or home repair programs.
- Federal or state housing programs.
- Affordable housing production and finance.
- Urban planning development and community revitalization.
SALARY:
Housing / Community Development Specialist II $7,181 - $8,973/month
Housing / Community Development Specialist III $8,221 - $10,279/month
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:
HCD Specialist II: Two years of experience in construction administration, building inspection, real estate appraisal, community development project coordination, economic development, or loan application preparation and processing.
HCD Specialist III: Three years of experience in a housing and community development program which has included responsibility for coordination of construction, financing, community development, or economic development projects.
Knowledge of:
- Federal and state housing and community development laws, regulations and procedures.
- Principles and practices of public administration, community development, business development and marketing.
- Economic development programs, agencies and funding sources.
- Project planning, budgeting, scheduling, supervision and monitoring.
- Techniques for monitoring compliance with regulatory agreements for low- and moderate-income housing.
- Statistical methods and data collection, tabulation and analysis.
- Programs for facilitating and subsidizing low and moderate housing including financing and indirect subsidy mechanisms.
- Legislative process at local, state and federal levels.
- Uniform building and construction codes, state and local housing regulations and methods of enforcement.
- Techniques and methods of housing inspection and detecting health and safety hazards.
- Housing rehabilitation and remodeling practices and procedures.
- Construction specifications and cost estimating.
- General contracting principles.
- Home improvement financing and escrow procedures.
Skill/Ability to:
- Manage and coordinate complex projects and activities.
- Prepare grant applications and performance reports.
- Evaluate proposals, manage project schedules, monitor compliance and progress and evaluate performance.
- Negotiate and write contracts.
- Interpret complex regulations and procedures.
- Research policies, analyze alternatives, and make concise recommendations.
- Identify problems and propose solutions.
- Express ideas effectively, orally and in writing.
- Compose and disseminate information to the community and general public through various media.
- Work effectively with the public and community groups.
- Make presentations to committees, special purpose groups and the general public.
- Conduct meetings.
- Prepare and interpret construction specifications, architectural drawings and construction contracts.
- Train and direct the activities of lower level personnel.
APPLICATION/EXAMINATION
Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, SEIU or AFSCME represented extra-help, or temporary position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.
Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: Pass/Fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
~ TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE ~
Final Filing Date: December 3, 2020
Tentative Screening Date: December 8, 2020
Tentative Panel Interview Dates: December 16 and/or 17, 2020
At the County of San Mateo, we welcome and celebrate the diversity of our employees, and strive to create a workplace where they feel valued every day.
County of San Mateo is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.
