Community Renewal Specialist Trainee ; NY HELPS

Duties Description

Housing and Community Renewal/Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HCR/HTFC) is the Project Based Section 8 Contract Administrator for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assigned portfolio consisting of 974 contracts covering 101,958 units. HUD has contracted with HTFC to perform on-site compliance reviews; process contract renewals, rent adjustments and utility allowances; and review, reconcile and pay monthly vouchers for this HUD portfolio.

Each month, approximately $180 million of HAP funds flow through HTFC to the owners of the Section 8 properties. HTFC fulfills its contract administrator responsibilities with the assistance of a private sector partner. HTFC provides program oversight, policy and procedural development, quality assurance monitoring and fulfillment of the contract reporting requirements and its partner performs the day-to-day task responsibilities.

HTFC also administers the Rural Rental Assistance Program (RRAP) which provides more than $24M of subsidies to 5,047 families living in 247 projects in rural New York counties.

• Assist in HTFC’s implementation of the oversight and monitoring of HTFC’s ACC with HUD for the $1.8 billion Project Based Section 8 program.
• Provide assistance for the implementation of the Rural Rental Assistance Program (RRAP) which includes the monthly payment process and contract administration for the RRAP portfolio of 247 properties covering 5,047 units which provides monthly subsidies totaling over $24M annually.
• Develop knowledge of the rules, regulations and policies that apply to HUD’s Project Based Section 8 Program and USDA RD 515 which governs the NYS Rural Rental Assistance Program.
• Perform quality assurance monitoring of management and occupancy reviews, rent adjustments, utility allowances, voucher processing and contract processing for both HUD’s Section 8 and RRAP contracts with USDA RD 515 properties.
• Assist to ensure program implementation in accordance with HTFC’s Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) with HUD, and compliance with HUD’s Section 8 rules and regulations including oversight of HTFC’s performance of private sector partner.
• Assist in researching any regulatory interpretation for any inquiries received from HUD Multifamily staff, HUD OIG, Congressional inquiries, other HCR programs and Legal department, owners, managing agents, and industry groups.
• Conduct on-site and desk evaluations to determine the accuracy of HTFC’s private sector partner’s performance as well as the compliance of the RRAP properties.
• Complete timely and accurate Quality Assurance reports and present in a clear and professional manner to supervisor.
• Assist with the fulfillment of HTFC’s monthly and annual ad hoc reporting requirements for HUD as defined by HTFC’s ACC.
• Assist with external program reviews from HUD for its Annual Compliance Review (ACR) and other program assessments such as New York’s A‑133 audit.
• Assist with the maintenance of all PBCA and RRAP databases and financial systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non‑competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non‑competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination.

Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Non‑competitive Minimum Qualifications
:
Four years of experience analyzing data related to the development and implementation of policies associated with the various housing programs; providing guidance to the public including builders, sponsors, community organizations, local officials, landlords and tenants;…