Overview

Job Summary: The Community Organizer assists the Community Organizing Team (COT) in achieving objectives related to civic engagement efforts and provides housing counseling to tenants through community education and outreach. The position organizes and empowers tenants on housing advocacy and tenant rights issues by providing education and technical assistance to the Community Tenants Association (CTA).

Status: Full-time, Nonexempt, Regular

Location: Chinatown neighborhood, San Francisco

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m. to 5:30p.m., and some weekends and evenings; flexible work hours needed

Salary: $31.98 – $33.65 per hour; Comprehensive benefits

The Organization: A private non-profit founded in 1977, Chinatown Community Development Center believes in a comprehensive vision of community. We own and/or manage approximately 38 affordable housing buildings serving over 5,000 low-income seniors, single adults, formerly homeless adults, and families of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Tenderloin, Western Addition, and Polk Gulch neighborhoods. We also build housing, develop grassroots leadership, and engage low-income residents and youth. Our employees are passionate about the mission; thrive in a family organizational culture; and embody values of empowerment, teamwork, and compassion. Chinatown CDC serves a diverse population and is committed to hiring practices that provide culturally competent services. We encourage people of color to apply. 

What You Will Do

Provide technical assistance to CTA

  • Provide staffing support and translation services to CTA in areas including but not limited to tenant organizing and empowerment pertaining to tenant rights and community advocacy; educate tenants on community issues related issues such as land use, transportation, public improvement, and community facilities, etc; coordinate meetings, events and activities.  
  • Develop leadership alongside CTA by providing training in organizing, public speaking, and other leadership development skills.

Provide housing counseling and tenant rights education

  • Perform intake on and provide housing counseling to low-income tenants (primarily monolingual Chinese-speaking) by assessing housing problems, answering questions, providing information and education, offering support or translation services, and making referrals.
  • Maintain and keep current system of tracking and reporting housing counseling casework and conduct follow-up work on individual and building-wide cases.

Support civic engagement efforts

  • Develop and maintain positive working relationships with tenant groups and community agencies and work collaboratively to maximize civic engagement and voter turnout.
  • Promote civic engagement dialogues in the low-income community and assist in achieving objectives for civic engagement efforts.

Other

  • Embody organization values (respect & compassion, empowerment, teamwork)
  • Contribute to a safe and pleasant work environment
  • Follow policies, procedures, and safe work practices
  • Other duties as assigned

What You Bring

  • Strong public speaking and interpersonal skills, with the ability to conduct workshops and meetings in English and Cantonese
  • Familiarity with and sensitivity to low-income immigrant neighborhoods and issues relevant to the community
  • Biliterate in Chinese and ability to speak fluently in Cantonese
  • Creative and comprehensive problem-solving skills
  • Ability to be flexible and perform variety of activities
  • Good listening skills and ability to exercise patience
  • Ability to work independently as well as in team structure
  • Commitment to comprehensive vision of community development and improving the life for low-income people
  • Capacity to work evening and weekends

Education and Experience (Minimum Qualifications)

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in social service, sociology, psychology, or related field
  • Bilingual and biliterate in Chinese and English
  • Basic word processing, Excel spreadsheet

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience or familiarity with the Chinatown neighborhood
  • Familiarity with Chinese software program
  • Two (2) years experience in non-profit agency serving low-income clients