Dola Housing Development Specialist (Community & Economic Development Iii) in Denver

Department Information

Who can Apply

This opportunity is only open to residents of the State of Colorado.

About the Colorado Department of Local Affairs

The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) serves as the primary interface between the State and local communities. The Department provides financial support to local communities and professional and technical services (including training and technical assistance) to community leaders in the areas of governance, housing, and property tax administration. While all state governments provide such services through various Departmental structures, Colorado’s approach is unique in that these local community services are gathered into one Department of “Local Affairs,” which has a central focus on strengthening Colorado communities and enhancing livability.

Vision

The Department of Local Affairs is responsible for strengthening Colorado's local communities through: accessible, affordable, and secure housing; implementing property tax law; capacity building; strategic training, research, and technical assistance; and funding to localities.

Mission

Our mission is to help strengthen Colorado’s communities.

Why work for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs?

The work we do matters greatly. It matters to us and it matters to the citizens of the great state of Colorado. We love our communities and are passionate about supporting our communities. We value the diversity that Colorado offers. If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference in communities across the State, consider joining the dedicated people of the Department of Local Affairs.

In addition, we offer a great location and great benefits, which include:

Medical and Dental Plans
Strong, secure, yet flexible Retirement Plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus pre-tax and ROTH 401K, and 457 plans
Employee Wellness Programs
Paid Life Insurance
11 paid Holidays per year plus Vacation and Sick Leave
Short and Long-Term Disability Coverage
RTD Eco Pass to all eligible State Employees
Flexible work schedule options and hybrid work options
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Training opportunities
Variety of Free discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

This recruitment may be used to fill additional positions, both permanent and term limited.

Description of Job

The Office of Housing Finance and Sustainability (OHFS), within the Division of Housing, works with public and private entities, nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities to create and rehabilitate housing for low and moderate income persons. The OHFS provides shelter and supportive services to the homeless, provides safe, sanitary, decent housing for low and moderate income persons and families throughout the state through allocation of funds from federal and state grant and loan programs and delivers technical assistance and training to applicants and grantees.

The Housing Development Specialist will carry out the housing development mission described above by analyzing, negotiating, monitoring and developing applications for financial assistance from private housing developers, local housing authorities, and/or local development organizations. For the term of affordability the Division is financially obligated to HUD for the amount of federal funds invested in affordable housing. This position will provide the division a basis for determining the feasibility of its affordable housing investments. This position will cover Metro area counties, including Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, and Elbert counties. As such, regional travel (utilizing a state vehicle) across these counties is required. Occasional in-state overnight travel may be needed.

The primary duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

Identify local housing issues, needs, and opportunities with the goal of increasing impacts and outcomes.
Expand the Division’s local partners to assist in advancing affordable housing.
Advise private housing developers, local housing organizations, and local governments in using federal and state housing resources to finance acquisition, rehabilitation and new construction of affordable housing proposals.
Analyze applications for financial assistance by reviewing for completeness, accuracy, market demand, financial commitments, management capacity, regulatory compliance, financial feasibility, and development cost.
Coordinate written funding recommendations for presentation to staff and State Housing Board. Position negotiates any revisions to the proposal with the applicant.
Research the incentives or impediments of local laws and regulations on the development of affordable housing. Identify methods and techniques used by others.
Coordinate with the underwriting team on Project Summaries which are used to draft contracts for funding awards.
Support the overall development training program for the Division of Housing by developing curriculum, and by providing training and technical assistance to private developers, local housing organization staff, and local government officials.
Engage and build relationships with key housing stakeholders, community members, customers, and local governments through outreach, capacity building, and identification of opportunities to increase community investment.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Class Code & Classification Description

H1N3XX Community And Economic Development III

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience Only: (6) Six years of professional experience in one, or a combination, of the following areas: administration of federal, state, or locally funded housing or homeless assistance programs; program support for local, state, or federal government programs, including grant management, reporting and/or monitoring.

Education and Experience: A combination of related education in public policy, political science, housing and human rights, social work, business administration, public administration, nonprofit administration, or a closely related field (as determined by the agency) AND experience as described above equal to six (6) years.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for.

Applicants must upload their unofficial college transcripts that include the student name, college name, courses completed and/or degree with date conferred with this application, in order to receive credit.

Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution.

Required Competencies

Ability to present and provide technical assistance and training to a large group of people.
Strong organizational skills.
Ability to work across teams.
Strong attention to detail.
Strong analytical skills.
Effective problem-solving skills.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to multi-task, prioritize assignments, and organize work to accommodate shifting deadlines.
Proficiency in MS Word, Excel.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers.

Preferred Qualifications

State of Colorado experience in local government, housing, homeless, or human services programs;
State of Colorado work experience as a temporary aide providing technical and/or monitoring assistance;
Experience providing technical assistance related to grants;
Experience with development, implementation, and evaluations of Federal and State housing programs, standards and implementation in accordance with best practices, particularly Emergency Housing programs focused on housing people from homelessness;
At least one year of professional experience in affordable housing or homeless programs;
Knowledge and experience with federal and state affordable housing programs;
Knowledge and experience with contract or grant budget management;
Experience in compliance monitoring.

Conditions of Employment

You MUST be a Colorado resident (at the time of application) to apply for this position.
Pre-employment criminal background checks will be conducted as part of the selection process.

Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement will result in your application being rejected.

Applicants may submit a resume, cover letter/letter of interest detailing how their experience and background address the stated minimum and preferred qualifications/competencies of the job and attach to the online application. Applications left blank or marked “See Resume” will not be accepted. Please address every requirement for the position with your experience in your application.

The application may include the following documents that MUST be uploaded at the time of application:

A resume (this is not a substitute for the online application demonstrating work history)
Cover letter / letter of interest
Transcripts (if using education to meet the minimum qualifications)
DD214 (member-4 form) from applicants that may be eligible for veteran’s preference

Comparative Analysis

Current and former employees (transfers, voluntary demotions, and reinstatements) are required to participate in the comparative analysis process through this job posting.

Applications will be reviewed to determine if you meet the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for the position. Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, training and experience review, eSkills Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants. Be sure your application specifically addresses the requirements as listed in the minimum qualifications. Address your specialized experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position duties, required competencies and preferred qualifications in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Supplemental Information

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

DOLA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Melissa Bellew, DOLA ADA Coordinator at melissa.bellew@state.co.us.

Email Address: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email.

Biweekly Pay: As of July 1, 2023, all DOLA new hires, including transfers of current state employees and reinstatements of former state employees, will be placed on the biweekly pay schedule. This means you will be paid every other Friday for a total of 26 pay periods over the course of a year. Biweekly pay is also lag pay, meaning you will be paid two weeks after the end of each pay period. Please click here for more information about the move to biweekly payroll.

Technical Assistance: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) please contact NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

Appeal Rights: An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director. As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.

Review of the completed, signed and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the Department’s action. For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov/board-rules.

For questions related to this job posting, please reach out to Melissa Bellew at melissa.bellew@state.co.us.

Dola Housing Development Specialist (Community & Economic Development Iii)

LOCATION

QUALIFICATIONS

RESPONSIBILITIES

INDUSTRY

SHORT DESCRIPTION

Department Information

Description of Job

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Supplemental Information