Temporary Housing Advocate (Fair Housing)

BayLegal is seeking an Advocate to join BayLegal and our dynamic Housing Law practice group in our Contra Costa office based in Richmond. Our practice focuses on the preservation of fair and affordable housing, addressing the root causes of homelessness and displacement. This position will focus on helping to coordinate BayLegal’s Fair Housing, anti-discrimination, regional project, and HUD reporting and working with a team of attorneys representing low-income tenants in all stages of eviction litigation and administrative proceedings. This position is based in our Richmond office, serving clients throughout Contra Costa County. The position involves traveling to all parts of the county as necessary to best serve our low-income clients. This is a temporary six (6) month position.
Duties & Responsibilities:

• Learn and advocate for the diverse legal rights of underserved communities in Contra Costa County and the broader Bay Area to reduce homelessness, enhance economic and housing stability, and promote social justice.
• Assist with BayLegal’s Fair Housing program administration, including, but limited to supporting the development of outreach and training materials; coordinating and tracking outreach and trainings; assisting with the preparation of funding reports; and collecting and information about Fair Housing testing from program partners.
• Assisting in Tenants Rights Clinics, conducted both in person and remote, which includes assisting with the preparation of legal forms, demand letters, reasonable accommodation requests, and propounding and responding to discovery.
• Assist with settlement conferences and administrative hearings.
• Assist attorneys with full range of litigation support, including cite checking, proof-reading briefs and letters, compiling motions and briefs, maintaining case files, tracking deadlines, scheduling, and performing simple legal research.
• Conduct unit inspections, obtain inspection records from government agencies, and document individual and pervasive habitability problems.
• Prepare templates for discovery, motions, and trial binders.
• Help prepare materials and participate in conducting outreach, training, and Know Your Rights for community members and partners.
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission.

• A commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity, as well as humility when working with clients and colleagues at the intersection of multiple identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disability, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Passion for and desire to work with low-income individuals.
• At least 2 years work experience as a legal assistant or similar position.
• Bilingual written and verbal ability in Spanish preferred.
• Received or be willing to receive and maintain up to date COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire.
• Willing to be on-site at BayLegal office or advocacy site at least three days per week and as needed to serve clients.
• Experience and skills maintaining organization of time, managing diverse activities, and meeting critical deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proof-reading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
• Experience and commitment to working collaboratively with a dynamic team.
• Curious and self-directed with an ability to anticipate what needs to be done.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while maintaining a firm grasp of individual project details.
• Sense of humor and proactive problem-solver.

Health & Safety and Hybrid Work Environment: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Being accessible to our client communities is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm. BayLegal has implemented detailed health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure to Covid-19 and has an evolving plan to continue to increase in-person services and activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites. Currently, most BayLegal employees work a hybrid model including set on-site and in-person work and working from home on a part-time basis. All employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location and service delivery locations as needed during the standard work week and in compliance with public health advisories.
Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with medical and dental benefits, paid holidays, and sick leave. Compensation is based on experience and competitive public interest salaries. The estimated annual salary range for advocates is $61,000 - $76,000.
Application Process: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.  We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law.  We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager (510) 250-5225. BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application portal.
As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity?Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.

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