Join our Team – Housing Counselor

Housing Counselor (Homeownership Team)

About the Position:

Chhaya seeks an energetic and dynamic Housing Counselor to engage in its Homeownership Program to be part of its homeownership program team. The counselor will assist South Asian, Indo-Caribbean, and other immigrant communities to buy and retain their homes as well conduct educational workshops. Candidates will receive training on homeownership education as necessary, including conducting community presentations and housing counseling. The selected candidate will be required to pass the HUD exam within 6 months of joining. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual to expand a successful program with future prospects for career growth. 

This position will report to the Associate Director of Programs, Homeownership.

About Chhaya:

Chhaya is the only South Asian and Indo-Caribbean Community Development Corporation (CDC) in the nation. Our mission is to build community power, housing stability, and economic well-being of the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities in New York. Since our founding in 2000, Chhaya has helped prevent hundreds of foreclosures; assisted first-me homebuyers in obtaining thousands of dollars in down-payment assistance, led the basement legalization campaign in New York City, provided individuals with key immigration services, empowered families with financial management tools, and skills, and fostered the civic engagement of thousands of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean New Yorkers. As a leader in New York City’s housing and economic justice sector, Chhaya is poised for significant organizational growth and development. Our main office is in Jackson Heights and we have a second location in Richmond Hill – two neighborhoods with vibrant South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conducting one-on-one pre-purchase intake and counseling with prospective homebuyers, including but not limited to budget counseling, credit management, and affordability analysis;
• Conducng one-on-one intake and counseling with post-purchase clients, including but not limited to loan modification, refinance, and short-sale;
• Organizing and conducting regular workshops on homeownership education and financial literacy;
• Supporting, organizing, and providing instruction at Chhaya’s annual housing fair(s), homeownership workshops, and post-purchase trainings;
• Marketing Chhaya’s educational and counseling programs on preventing predatory lending and promoting homeownership education;
• Broadening and strengthening Chhaya’s outreach in the community and cultivating community partnerships including partnerships with faith-based and community organizations;
• Tracking counseling and educational outreach outcomes in database and assisting with regular reporting;
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships with funders, housing experts, partner organizations, and coalition partners;
• Assisting with other projects, as necessary;

Qualifications:

• Two or more years of experience in community outreach, financial or housing counseling, non-profit service, or related field. 
• Commitment to gaining HUD Housing Counseling certification (required) or existing HUD Housing Counseling Cerficaon (preferred); 
• Fluent in Bangla and English (required); 
• Experience working with populations with limited English and/or computer proficiency (preferred); 
• Familiarity with Jackson Heights, Richmond Hill, and the South Asian, Indo-Caribbean communities in the neighborhood; 
• Commitment to engaging diverse constituents in low- and moderate-income communities;
• Interested in understanding the different perspectives and needs of diverse community stakeholders; 
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strong relationships with governmental agencies, elected officials, non-profit organizations, and other community groups; 
• Ability to coordinate and manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, and provide timely and clear updates to supervisors; 
• Ability to work in an organized, efficient manner with a high level of accuracy, attention to detail, and follow-through; 
• Ability to complete tasks and projects with tight deadlines; 
• Demonstrate a passion and commitment to supporting affordable housing for immigrant and low-income communities; 
• An ability to be flexible and willingness to wear “multiple hats” if and when needed;
• Flexible schedule with the ability to work some weekends and evenings, as required;
• High level of proficiency in Microso Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Extremely well-organized and detail-oriented;
• Sense of humor – a plus

Salary Range:

$45,000 – $50,000 

How to Apply:

To Apply: Please send a cover leer, resume, two professional references (in PDF format) to careers@chhayacdc.org with the subject line: “Housing Counselor–Application” 

Applications will be accepted until January 15, 2022. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls, please. 

This is a bargaining unit position with the Transport Workers Union, TWU. 

Chhaya CDC is an equal opportunity organization that celebrates and embraces diversity. Chhaya does not discriminate on the basis of caste, race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or any other identities covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and organizational need.