Eviction Outreach Specialist | BASTA
AUSTIN
Candidates should include in the application materials reference to all prior work experience relevant to the position that they are seeking to aid with the placement on TRLA’s salary scale.
$40840 - $54230 / year
About BASTA
BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) is a project housed in Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) dedicated to helping Austin renters work alongside their neighbors to improve conditions in their homes and communities. We envision a future where the collective action of Austin renters has brought healthy and affordable housing to all.
Position Description:
BASTA’s Eviction Mitigation Team mitigates evictions with a multi-pronged approach, which includes coordinating volunteers to conduct direct outreach to tenants facing eviction; community education; data synthesis and analysis; and policy advocacy. The team works in tandem with TRLA’s housing attorneys to strategically target bad actor landlords in order to begin to shift the balance of power between landlord and tenant.
The Eviction Outreach Specialist will be an integral part of BASTA’s Eviction Mitigation Team providing frontline support to tenants at risk of eviction by conducting outreach at impacted properties and in at-risk neighborhoods, making calls to tenants facing eviction, and connecting tenants to legal and other resources. The Outreach Specialist will be crucial to ensuring that the lived experience of tenants facing eviction informs and guides the Eviction Mitigation Team’s work and advocacy strategies. The successful candidate thrives in engaging others, gets into a groove in front of a group, can find laughter and light even in hard situations, and sees the importance of meeting people where they are at and addressing immediate needs as a critical part of building the base of tenant power.
Responsibilities:
Visit properties to engage and educate Austin renters about their eviction rights, including flyering, tabling, and canvassing.
Conduct outreach calls and texts to tenants facing eviction to educate them about their eviction rights and connect them to resources.
Attend community partner resource fairs with information about tenants rights and eviction.
Work with Eviction Volunteer Coordinator to organize on-the-ground volunteer activities.
Assist Eviction Mitigation Team Director in targeting outreach efforts to properties with bad actor landlords including those with high rates of eviction filings.
Facilitate tenants rights workshops at properties, schools, community centers, and other community institutions in conjunction with the Eviction Mitigation Team.
Update and maintain resource guide.
Review know-your-rights materials to ensure that they are accessible to community members across language, literacy, and educational levels.
Document and record stories of tenants facing eviction or recently evicted.
Contemporaneously document all outreach activities to track outcomes and ensure compliance with funding requirements.
All other duties assigned.
Compensation:
Salary $40,840-$54,230 depending on experience. Full medical and dental benefits are provided to employees. Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays.
To Apply:
Email a resume and a paragraph or two about why you are interested in the position to [email protected] with the subject line “BASTA Eviction Outreach Specialist Application.”
We have a strong commitment to hiring staff that reflect the tenant communities we support. People of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and renters with experience living in low-income housing are encouraged to apply.
TRLA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
At TRLA, we are committed to offering fair and equal employment opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We strictly prohibit any form of discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
This position requires, consistent with TRLA’s policy and subject to applicable law, a candidate to provide proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination prior to commencing employment.
Required Qualifications
Commitment to social, economic, racial and language justice;
Previous outreach or community engagement experience;
Excellent communication skills in English and Spanish;
Ability to communicate complex concepts in plain language;
Proficiency with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;
Strong organizational skills;
Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
Ability to work evenings and weekends; and
Vehicle and driver’s license.
Preferred Qualifications:
Proficiency in additional languages often spoken or used by tenants in Austin (ie., Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto, Burmese, ASL);
Experience with community education and popular education techniques;
Knowledge of housing issues and/or landlord-tenant law;
Experience with working in multilingual spaces;
Experience designing effective flyers and print materials with knowledge of Canva a plus; and
Familiarity with Salesforce, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl.
Email a resume and a paragraph or two about why you are interested in the position to [email protected] with the subject line “BASTA Eviction Outreach Specialist Application.”
We have a strong commitment to hiring staff that reflect the tenant communities we support. People of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and renters with experience living in low-income housing are encouraged to apply.