About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) & CED Law

Our mission

We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive.

Our Organization

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is a Colorado-based nonprofit. Launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, our organization was formed to keep our neighbors housed during the pandemic. Working with clients, we built a “one-stop-shop” approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed.

Our team now serves more than 1,000 people per month, bringing together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to serve our clients. In the previous two years, we have distributed more than $100 million in aid and served more than 40,000 Coloradans. We have also contributed to the passage of major legislation to prevent eviction, stop economic abuse, and make credit and life-saving medication cheaper. CEDP’s model has been cited as a best practice by White House, HUD, the Urban Institute, and in the media.

Building on our work to stop evictions, CEDP has further expanded its integrated services model to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access & navigation, long-term rental assistance, and homelessness response. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.

More about the Bi-lingual Housing Navigator Role:

In your role as a Housing Navigator, your primary mission encompasses two key goals: Firstly, you'll be dedicated to assisting families and individuals in the identification and securing of housing options tailored to their preferences, needs, and budget. Simultaneously, you'll focus on building and nurturing relationships with landlords and property managers within the community. As a constant guide throughout the entire process, you'll simplify the complexities of the housing market for families and facilitate collaboration between community landlords and our programs. Your overarching responsibility is to expedite the housing search process, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience for clients, ultimately leading them to the most suitable housing option.

In this role you will:

Provide housing search support to clients by: 

• Assessing Individual Housing Requirements: You will engage with clients, either in-person or virtually, based on their preferences, to comprehensively understand their housing needs. This includes determining their preferred location, budget limitations, desired amenities, and any specific requirements they might have.
• Providing Housing Recommendations: Drawing upon your research, you will curate a tailored selection of housing options for the client. Your recommendations will consider their preferences and constraints, while also providing valuable insights and advice to support informed decision-making.
• Assisting with the Application Process: Once the client has chosen their preferred housing option, your role will involve guiding them through the application process. This includes aiding in the completion of necessary paperwork, providing information on required documentation, and ensuring all deadlines are met.
• Relocation Assistance: Leveraging various local, state, and federal funding to process relocation and rental arrear assistance to stabilize a household. This will require the ability to work in multiple internal and external CRMs. 
• Offering Ongoing Support and Guidance: Throughout the housing search journey, you will be readily available to address any questions or concerns the client may have. You will provide continuous support, offer expert advice on lease negotiations, and assist in resolving any potential issues that may arise.
• Conducting Comprehensive Research: You will utilize a variety of resources to gather information on available housing options, spanning apartments, houses, and shared accommodations that align with the client's criteria. This may involve online listing searches, contacting property managers, or collaborating with real estate agents.
• Maintaining an Organized Database: To facilitate a seamless process, it will be crucial to maintain accurate records of housing options. This database should include details such as availability, pricing, and contact information, ensuring quick access to vital information when needed.
• Landlord Recruitment and Engagement: You will be responsible for developing and executing strategies aimed at attracting new landlords to expand our housing inventory. Additionally, you will cultivate and nurture strong relationships with existing landlords, offering top-tier customer service to ensure their satisfaction and continued partnership.
• Conducting Outreach Activities: Promoting our organization's services and benefits to potential landlords will be another facet of your role. This involves engaging in outreach efforts to raise awareness and establish partnerships.
• Negotiating Lease Terms and Agreements: Ensuring mutually beneficial agreements with landlords is essential. You will be responsible for negotiating lease terms, rental rates, and other contractual aspects to the satisfaction of both parties.
• Addressing Landlord Concerns: Promptly and effectively addressing landlord concerns, complaints, and disputes will be part of your responsibilities.
• Staying Informed: Keeping abreast of local real estate market trends, rental laws, and industry best practices is vital to excel in this role.
• Maintaining Accurate Records: Detailed and precise record-keeping of landlord interactions, lease agreements, and property information in our database is crucial to ensure smooth operations and compliance.

Position Requirements: 

• English proficiency required (Spanish proficiency) required.
• A minimum of three to five years of experience in an advocacy, customer service, social services, or law-related environment.
• Ability to apply prior experience to improve processes and collaboration in a startup environment that requires rapid adaptation to change with minimal supervision. Analytical thinker with a detail-oriented, self-starter attitude and a strong ability to solve problems.
• Demonstrated proficiency working with Customer Relationship Management databases or similar tracking and organizing technologies.
• Fantastic organizational skills and ability to self-manage and prioritize a complex workload with rapidly changing demands.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and manage a caseload to achieve required case-completed volume goals.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in an agile environment.
• Brilliant written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and the Google Suite.
• This role requires being in our Denver office 2.5 days a week . Some driving and transportation to and from meetings required; a reliable vehicle is necessary.

Additional Details:

• Candidates must reside in Colorado, ideally within the greater Denver Metro area. The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401k.
• A competitive salary $60,000 with an additional $2,000 for bilingual differential
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by July 8, 2024
• The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by July 12, 2024
• As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations.
• CEDP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.