Decriminalization Program Administrator

The National Homelessness Law Center (Law Center) seeks a strategic, collaborative, mission-driven thought partner to serve as our Decriminalization Program Administrator. The Law Center is a legal arm of the national movement to end homelessness and is looking to hire a Decriminalization Program Administrator. The ideal candidate will be compelled by the national housing crisis and energized by our vision of housing as a human right and dismantling structural racism as we seek to end homelessness.

OVERVIEW OF POSITION

The Decriminalization Program’s purpose is to combat the criminalization and poverty profiteering of the growing unsheltered community during our national housing crisis. We do this in two primary ways. First, we advocate against homelessness criminalization across the country in the legislative houses and the public through press, legislative education and advocacy, and community organizing with partners in impacted jurisdictions. Second, we participate in civil rights suits—at any given time, we are actively engaged in between two and five cases as lead or co-counsel, and five to ten cases as support counsel—against municipal and state governments, sometimes as class actions, in partnership with nonprofit legal organizations like the ACLU, as well as pro bono law firm partners.

This position is an ideal opportunity for someone who thrives in a values-aligned organization.  The Law Center’s budget for 2023 is $2.2 million. The Law Center is financially sound and maintains a reserve. The Decriminalization Program Administrator plays an essential role as the “glue” that holds the entire Decriminalization Program team together in its day-to-day functions. The Decriminalization Program team currently consists of a Communications Associate and three lawyers: the Decriminalization Program Director, the Housing Not Handcuffs New York Attorney, and an Equal Justice Works Fellow.

ABOUT THE LAW CENTER
 
Founded in 1989, the Law Center is a leading national organization using the power of the law to advocate for the millions of unhoused and housing unstable persons in the United States. Our work has put unhoused children back in school, won new resources for affordable housing, prevented homelessness for renters, overturned laws that criminalize homelessness, and built support for the human right to housing, now a major component of federal domestic policy.  We play a critical role in protecting, defending and promoting the rights of unhoused persons to ensure they can lead national, state and local efforts to end homelessness. 

Our core conviction is that no one should have to go without safe, affordable housing in a country as wealthy as ours. The Law Center’s work, in partnership with national, state and local partners, is critical now more than ever as the eviction and affordable housing crises, exacerbated by the pandemic, push record numbers of persons into homelessness.  People of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately and uniquely affected by homelessness, and our work consciously and affirmatively seeks to address these interrelated inequities.  In April 2021, the Law Center welcomed its second Executive Director, Antonia Fasanelli, a national leader recognized for her expertise in housing and homelessness law and policy. The Law Center elevates the power and voices of current and formerly unhoused people. 

We are proud of our high-quality and committed team of 15 staff persons and our large corps of volunteer attorneys.  Although headquartered in Washington, DC, Law Center staff live and work across the country. 

For more information, read our Annual Reports (https://homelesslaw.org/resources/annual-report/) and explore our website at www.homelesslaw.org. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide programmatic and administrative support for the Decriminalization Program as follows:

Scheduling internal team meetings, like Decriminalization Program meetings, crafting agendas, taking meeting minutes, managing project calendars and workflow, and tracking discrete goals/projects that arise during said internal meetings;

Developing and maintaining contact databases of national and local partners, including policy and litigation attorneys, service providers, community organizers and activists, relevant coalitions, and elected officials;

Coordinate the logistical components of external seminars and working group meetings. This might include: scheduling with speakers and Law Center staff, managing invites and reminders, overseeing registration and attendance, facilitating Q&A’s, coordinating breakout sessions, following up with attendees, maintaining databases the Law Center curates for its external partners, etc.;

Working with external partners to schedule, track, and meet important deadlines on shared projects, ensuring clear expectations and roles, division of labor, and deadlines;

Cultivating [or initiating] new community partnerships with activists and organizers working to decriminalize homelessness in their communities. This may include researching local groups/coalitions, making initial contact, scheduling meetings, etc.; and,

Receive, digitize, and maintain files related to all stages of litigation as well as pre-litigation investigations (e.g., public records requests).

SALARY, BENEFITS AND LOCATION:
Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance all fully employer paid and a 403(b)-retirement plan with supplemental salary contribution. The Law Center provides a leave package of vacation (20 days per year), sick leave (10 days per year), personal leave (5 days per year), and all Federal holidays. In addition, the Law Center also closes two weeks per year. The Law Center has flexible work schedule options and provides an annual office supply budget for office needs and incidentals for this position.

Location: The Law Center staff are primarily working remotely in various states around the country. This position, though remote, requires travel (approximately two to four times per year) to the DC office and/or key jurisdictions where the Law Center’s work is focused, such as New York, Missouri, Arizona, and/or California.