Affordable Housing Lead Planner

City of Tucson

4d • $29 - $44

About The Position

The Affordable Housing Lead Planner is responsible for leading the planning and development of housing projects, from conceptualization to completion in alignment with the City of Tucson’s affordable housing development and policy-related goals. This position will, amongst other duties, will oversee the implementation of activities funded through a $7 million federal grant award, PRO Housing. The PRO Housing grant is a partnership with Planning and Development Services (PDSD) and this position will support PDSD in evaluating zoning and development regulations that prevent affordable housing development. Work is performed under the supervision of the Housing Development Administrator. This position does not supervise. This position provides regular guidance to assigned staff, prioritizes, and assigns work, provides training and acts as a subject matter expert on housing and real estate development issues for employees supporting the implementation of the grant as well as employees supporting affordable housing projects.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelors Degree in a related field
• Work Experience: Three (3) years of relevant experience
• Any combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.
• Valid and Unrestricted Class D Drivers License

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Real Estate Development, or a related field.
• Proven experience in housing development planning, with a track record of successful project completion.
• In-depth knowledge of zoning regulations, land use planning, and environmental considerations.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills to engage with stakeholders effectively.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and Spanish.
• Demonstrated success in community engagement, including designing and facilitating inclusive engagement processes and working directly with residents, stakeholders, and partner organizations on planning, policy, or development-related initiatives, while clearly communicating complex information and building trust with diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Assists in the development of comprehensive plans for housing projects, considering zoning regulations, environmental impact, and community needs.
• Collaborates with architects, engineers, and other professionals to create design concepts that align with project goals.
• Integrates sustainable and environmentally friendly practices into housing development plans.
• Explores opportunities for energy efficiency, green spaces, and other eco-friendly initiatives.
• Assists with development arm functions including the creation and management of the community land trust, development and delivery of technical assistance services for community and small-scale developers, and ongoing implementation of HAST affordable housing strategies.
• Contributes to HCD planning and development initiatives through research and policy analysis.
• Coordinates application review processes, public notification, and presents projects on behalf of the El Pueblo Housing Development, HCD’s non-profit development arm,
• Leads the engagement with local government officials, community leaders, and regulatory bodies to obtain necessary approvals, permits, and waivers.
• Lead in the facilitation of community meetings to gather input and address concerns.
• Leads in the assistance of external affordable housing developers and responds to general public inquiries.
• Assists with designing, facilitating, and evaluating inclusive engagement processes; builds and maintains positive relationships with residents, stakeholders, and partner organizations; incorporates community input into planning and policy decisions.
• Ensures project compliance with current local, state, and federal housing regulations.
• Works closely with legal advisors to address any legal issues related to the development process.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The City of Tucson offers a generous benefits package for benefit-eligible positions. The comprehensive, flexible, and affordable coverage is designed to optimize health and well-being, security and future, and peace of mind.
• Benefits begin with medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and FSA coverage, surpassing your standard 401(k) program by offering a rich pension plan plus optional Roth and pretax deferred compensation savings.
• With your well-being in mind, our paid time off program provides new hires with 38 paid days off in the first year of employment, with time off increasing steadily in subsequent years.
• We offer twelve weeks of paid parental leave, paid tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, off- and on-the-job training, and opportunities to forge connections with peers and the community through employee resource groups and paid volunteer hours.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level