Neighborhood Planner for the Division of Neighborhood Development and Stabilization

About the Agency:

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city’s housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.

• We maintain building and resident safety and health.
• We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability.
• We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity.

HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. To support this important work, the administration has committed $5 billion in new capital funding, bringing the 10-year planned investment in housing to $22 billion the largest in the city’s history. This investment, coupled with a commitment to reduce administrative and regulatory barriers, is a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York City’s complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth.
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Your Team:

The Office of Neighborhood Strategies (ONS) is charged with ensuring that HPD’s development and preservation efforts are guided by meaningful community engagement and coordinated with public investments in infrastructure and services, as put forth in the Mayor's Housing Plan. ONS is composed of two divisions and a cross-divisional unit reporting to the Deputy Commissioner:

• The Division of Neighborhood Development & Stabilization (ND&S) leads the agency's commitment to neighborhood planning and strategic preservation through engagement with tenants, landlords, community leaders, and neighborhood stakeholders as we work to enable strong and healthy neighborhoods anchored by affordable housing.
• The Division of Planning & Predevelopment (P&P) is central to developing and managing HPD's housing production pipeline from project proposal phases through the land use review and entitlement process, to ensure that HPD's investments contribute to building strong, healthy, resilient neighborhoods in all five boroughs.
• The Strategy and Operations Unit leads special ONS initiatives and provides essential technical, planning, and policy support to staff and the Deputy Commissioner of Neighborhood Strategies.

Your Impact:

As the Neighborhood Planner for the Neighborhood Planning Unit in the Division of Neighborhood Development and Stabilization you will ensure that HPD investments are leveraging and incentivizing other public and private investments to achieve broader community objectives that strengthen the social, economic, and physical health of neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Planning Unit partners with other HPD divisions, City and State agencies, local stakeholders, and community-based organizations to facilitate comprehensive, community-based planning processes and produce neighborhood housing plans and policies.

Your Role:

Under the direction of the Director and Deputy Director of Neighborhood Planning you will design and implement community-based planning processes with the goal of identifying neighborhood needs, developing goals and strategies, and creating implementable housing and neighborhood plans. Candidates should have knowledge of or experience with NYC housing policies and programs, land use and zoning, and community-based organizations working on housing issues. Strong written and verbal communications and project management skills are required.

Your Responsibilities:

All planners in the Neighborhood Planning Unit are expected to perform similar duties to ensure a flexible and multi-disciplined team, including:

• Analyzing complex neighborhood planning and geo-spatial issues, including demographic, housing, and real estate trends and conditions, as well as development and preservation opportunities.

- Undertaking neighborhood planning studies and developing implementation strategies in collaboration with other City agencies, including the Economic Development Corporation, the Department of City Planning, the New York City Housing Authority; State agencies; for- and non- profit housing and community developers; community boards and other local organizations; public officials; and neighborhood residents.

• Developing innovative public participation techniques to effectively collaborate with communities in the design of affordable housing and the development of place-based affordable housing strategies.
• Collaborating with the Division of Planning and Predevelopment on the planning and implementation of community visioning workshops to inform Requests for Proposals for the development of affordable housing on City-owned land.
• Developing agendas, managing logistics, and creating communications materials for public engagement activities and community workshops.
• Planning and supervising neighborhood workshops and other engagement activities.

Preferred skills:

1. Thorough knowledge of New York City government and housing issues.
2. Knowledge of zoning, land use planning, and regulatory requirements.
3. Successful experience working with community boards, civic associations, and neighborhood groups.
4. Experience with community-based planning and neighborhood development issues.
5. Experience conducting studies, writing reports, and conducting meetings with community and interagency partners.
6. Ability to work independently, take initiative, and work effectively with others.
7. Excellent research, analytical, writing, and public speaking skills.
8. Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects in a timely manner.
9. Proficiency in GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint.
10. Candidates with master’s degrees in urban planning, urban design/architecture, or business administration with a focus in real estate finance and development are strongly preferred.
11. A minimum 2 years experience in urban planning is strongly preferred, preferably involving the practical application of real estate principles in finance and/or development.

COMMUNITY COORDINATOR - 56058