Attorney of Legal Support Unit for the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike. At HPD, rent subsidy programs are administered by the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (DTOR). HPD’s rental subsidies, including Section 8 or the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, provide funding to eligible low-income families for rental assistance toward decent, safe, and affordable housing in a neighborhood of their choice. Families pay approximately 30% of their income toward rent, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) pays the difference, directly to the owner. The unit must have a rent that is determined reasonable and affordable by HPD and must meet federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS) to be approved. HPD's Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (DTOR) is responsible for the administration of rental subsidy programs that include Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Project Based Voucher (PBV), Moderate Rehab Section 8, Moderate Rehab Single Room Occupancy (SRO), and Continuum of Care (CoC)-Shelter Plus Care (SPC) and NYC 15/15. Through these programs, HPD serves over 40,000 households and 9,000 landlords in all five boroughs. DTOR is responsible for the initial application screening; confirming eligibility requirements; briefing applicants; and issuing vouchers. DTOR also monitors tenant and landlord compliance of their obligations under each program and continues to administer the ongoing subsidies throughout their participation. These continued activities include processing annual and interim recertifications to update family income/assets, household composition, and rent amounts; tenant moves and transfers; approved rent increases; Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) abatements and reinstatements to enforce Housing Quality. The Division of Tenant and Owner Resources (DTOR) Legal Support Unit reviews and recommends responses to Article 78 petitions, New York City Comptroller claims, Freedom of Information requests, reviews legal documents pertaining to legal guardianships, power of attorney and related documents, responds to complex subpoenas, appears in the Housing Part of the New York City Civil Court, responds, and assists with inquiries for eviction related matters and compliance with the rental subsidy programs, and conducts outreach. These activities require research of Federal, State and City statutes and case law that govern the rental subsidy programs and participation in policy decision committees. As an Agency Attorney L-2, for the DTOR, Legal Support Unit, under the direction of the Director, with latitude for independent judgement, initiative and decision making, the selected candidate’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

Requirements

Admission to the New York State Bar
One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086)
Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.
To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Nice To Haves

Excellent writing, legal research, and analytical skills
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Computer knowledge (LexisNexis, Word, Excel and Access)
Strong Organizational Skills
Knowledge of Rental Subsidies or Section 8 Subsidy Preferred
Ability to liaise with DTOR experts, HPD Programs, Agency and litigation counsel
Bilingual a plus

Responsibilities

Review Article 78 petitions, prepare analysis and facts of the case, and recommend course of action
Respond to NYC Comptroller claims
Assist in preparing and editing legal arguments and documents, such as verified answers, memoranda, etc., in connection with legal proceedings before various courts
Review and assist in preparing responses for subpoenas and appear in the Housing Part of New York Civil Court as needed
Research legal issues relating to Section 8 federal regulations and New York State case law, recommend procedural and policy enhancements, and participate in program review and analysis
Participate in standing program-wide review of complex issues and recommend solutions
Review and approve legal documents pertaining to power-of-attorney, legal guardianship of adults and minors, and other legal family related documents
Review inquiries and legal documents submitted by participants, applicants, landlords and attorneys recommend action to be taken, prepare responses and work on and monitor for resolution
Conduct complex conferences with clients and attorneys and ensure compliance with conference agreements
Manage and respond to Freedom of Information (FOIL) requests
Redact records in response to FOIL requests
Liaise with Agency attorneys, New York City litigation counsel and program experts
Ensure compliance with HUD rules and regulations
Monitor workflow for court cases, ensure compliance with deadlines, prepare reports and summaries of LSU workload
Lead and/or work on special projects
Represent the Director at DTOR meetings and with stakeholders in and outside the Agency