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Eviction Outreach Specialist (BASTA)

Description: 
Eviction Outreach Specialist | BASTA AUSTIN, TX

($39,930 - $52,290)

In furthering the cause of tenant and housing justice in the Austin area, Building and Strengthening Tenant Action (BASTA) seeks an Eviction Outreach Specialist to join our team. BASTA, housed in Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA), works with low-income Austin renters to fight for tenant respect and dignity and to advocate for healthy, safe, and affordable housing. BASTA employs a variety of advocacy techniques, including education, community outreach, and litigation.  

Position Description:

BASTA’s Eviction Mitigation Team mitigates evictions with a multi-pronged approach, which includes coordinating volunteers to track eviction proceedings and conduct direct outreach to tenants facing eviction; community education; data synthesis and analysis; community outreach; 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 facing evictions by conducting participatory workshops at impacted properties, making calls to tenants facing eviction, and collecting tenant stories. 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. 

Requirements: 

Responsibilities:

  • Visit properties to engage and educate Austin renters about their eviction rights, including flyering and canvassing. 

  • Conduct outreach calls and texts to tenants facing eviction to educate them about their eviction rights and connect them to resources;. 

  • Witness and track observations for eviction court proceedings virtually or in person should COVID protocols allow it. 

  • Work with Eviction Volunteer Coordinator to organize on-the-ground volunteer activities. 

  • Assist Deputy Special Project Coordinator 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.

  • Review eviction 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. 

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. 

Compensation:

Salary $36,840-$50,230 depending on experience. Full medical and dental benefits are provided to employees.
Paid personal leave, sick days, and holidays.  

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.

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.  

To Apply: 

To Apply:  

Email a resume and a paragraph or two about why you are interested in the position to jobs@bastaaustin.org with the subject line “BASTA Eviction Outreach Specialist Application.”  

JOBS@BASTAAUSTIN.ORG

 

Information

Submission Deadline: 
August 10, 2023
Organization Information: 
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)
301 S. Texas Avenue
Mercedes, TX 78750
United States
Phone: 956-447-4800