Job Description

Borough Planner, Manhattan, Division of Planning and Predevelopment

About the Agency:

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.

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 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 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 Strategic Initiatives 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 a Borough Planner in the Manhattan Planning Team at the Division of Planning and Pre-Development you will be responsible for helping to develop, implement, and manage all HPD predevelopment activities related to the development of a portfolio of City-owned parcels and/or projects financed or sponsored by HPD for the development of affordable housing in Manhattan and ensuring that these projects are viable, financially feasible and guided by meaningful community engagement and principles of design excellence.

Your Role:

Reporting to the Borough Director, your role will include managing, tracking, reporting, and ensuring that predevelopment activities are being undertaken in a timely, efficient, and effective manner.

Your Responsibilities:

• Analyzing development trends, and neighborhood and market dynamics;

• Land use and zoning analysis;

• Coordinating with Predevelopment Planners in the requests for proposals review and selection process;

• Managing the critical path toward project entitlement and development financial closing.

• Working collaboratively with other City agencies, such as 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 local organizations, public officials, and neighborhood residents.

• Represent HPD at public meetings, including ones at the Community Boards, Borough President’s Office and the City Planning Commission;

• Participating and assisting in neighborhood workshops, as necessary.

Preferred skills

• Thorough knowledge of New York City government and housing issues.

• Knowledge of zoning, land use planning, and regulatory requirements.

• Successful experience working with community boards, civic associations, and neighborhood groups.

• Experience conducting studies, writing reports, and conducting meetings with community and interagency partners.

• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and work effectively with others.

• Excellent research, analytical, writing, and public speaking skills.

• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects in a timely manner.

• Proficiency in GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint.

• Candidates with masters degrees in urban planning, urban design/architecture, or business administration with a focus in real estate finance and development are strongly preferred.

• 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.

This position is open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate in your resume that you would like to be considered for the position under the 55-a Program.

Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or

2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.