Description:
Who we are:The Housing Justice Center (HJC) is a nonprofit public interest advocacy and legal organization whose primary mission is to preserve and expand affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. Using legal advocacy, impact litigation, policy analysis, research, and community education, HJC works to encourage the production and preservation of affordable housing and the protection of the rights of people who need affordable places to call home. HJC attorneys work with tenant and advocacy organizations, public and private housing funders, owners, developers, and policy makers in their efforts to protect and expand affordable housing. Based in Minnesota, HJC works nationwide.
Housing Justice Center Federal Response Initiative
HJC takes a systemic approach to strengthening housing justice, expanding affordable housing, and protecting the rights of tenants. The Federal Response initiative focuses on how to use systemic policy and legal advocacy, impact litigation, and other tools to help the affordable housing infrastructure in Minnesota respond and adapt to the changing federal landscape. The Minnesota affordable housing infrastructure is facing unprecedented shifts in federal policy, regulations, statutes, programs, and financing. The work of this initiative shifts with the federal landscape and includes providing analysis and education on changing federal policies and rules, identifying and leading systemic legal and policy advocacy initiatives, and developing areas for impact litigation.
About the Position:
The Special Counsel for Federal Response role reports to the Director and Senior Counsel for Housing Systems Response and works to identify and lead on areas where legal advocacy could effectively impact the ways in which the housing system in Minnesota responds to a changing policy, legal, and financial federal landscape.
The work of this position includes providing legal analysis of the changing federal landscape and its impact on affordable housing in Minnesota, coordinating with national and local legal organizations to develop and advocate for systemic policy initiatives, developing and pursuing impact litigation in response to federal actions, and identifying paths to bolster state law and policy in response to federal changes. The work of this position can include taking the lead or co-counseling on impact litigation for the right candidate.
Responsibilities will include the following:
- Provide legal analysis of various actions taken at the federal level and how those impact the Minnesota affordable housing infrastructure and tenant rights.
- Develop and promote systemic advocacy and policy changes at the state, local, or national level that could respond to federal actions that negatively impact either the affordable housing infrastructure or tenant rights.
- Identify and develop opportunities for impact litigation in Minnesota or elsewhere in the country that help to respond to actions at the federal level with negative impacts on the affordable housing infrastructure or tenant rights.
- Coordinate with national and local legal organizations to develop and promote legal responses, legal advocacy, and impact litigation opportunities.
- Share information and legal analysis with the Minnesota affordable housing community on the impact of various federal actions.
- Coordinate with leadership and staff across HJC and other organizations.
- Take a leadership role on various federal response initiatives.
- For the right candidate, the responsibilities could include leading or co-counseling on impact litigation at the state or federal level.
Position Requirements:
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to identify, develop, and lead on legal advocacy initiatives.
- Experience working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders and external parties.
- Working knowledge of affordable housing law and policy and the primary sources of affordable housing financing.
- Excellent written and oral advocacy skills.
- Commitment to serving clients from diverse communities and lived experiences with humility, respect, and cultural competency.
- Proven track record of providing thoughtful, practical legal and strategic guidance.
- Proven attention to detail, high degree of professional ethics, and creative legal problem-solving.
Education, Experience and Licenses
- Juris doctor degree.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience.
- Member in good standing of the Minnesota bar or member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction and eligibility to promptly gain admission to Minnesota bar.
Wages
$100,000 - $104,000 annual salary
Benefits:
HJC offers a hybrid work environment; a remote position may be possible, including for candidates outside of Minnesota. Benefits include paid vacation and sick time, plus 12 paid holidays and one floating holiday per year; HJC offers generous benefits, which include a medical and dental reimbursement and will contribute 100% toward regular full-time employee's medical and dental insurance premiums after 90 days of employment with the organization; 12-weeks paid parental leave; and HJC offers a 3% contribution to employees who participate in a SIMPLE IRA account administered by Fidelity.
To be considered for this position, please include a resume and cover letter with your application.
Diversity and open expression are central to the work of Housing Justice Center. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone belongs and where diverse perspectives strengthen our ability to understand challenges and create meaningful solutions. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, especially those who are underrepresented in our sector, including individuals who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQI+, gender fluid or gender nonconforming, people with disabilities (visible and invisible), veterans, and people of any age or family status. We also encourage you to apply even if you do not meet 100% of the listed qualifications.
Housing Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, age, marital status, public assistance status, criminal history, housing status, height, or weight.
Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the hiring process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.