Eviction Volunteer Coordinator (BASTA)
($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 Volunteer Coordinator 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 prevents 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 Volunteer Coordinator will be an integral part of BASTA’s Eviction Mitigation Team to harness the power of volunteers to monitor the courts and conduct outreach to tenants facing eviction. The Coordinator is charged with evaluating and using the information collected to both guide the team’s advocacy strategy and ensure that volunteers are aware of the impacts of their efforts. The successful candidate relishes organization and systems, enjoys building relationships, and takes initiative.
Responsibilities:
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Oversee all aspects of court observation and tracking, including reviewing court calendars to schedule volunteer signups for observers and creating and maintaining tools to collect observations.
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Foster volunteer engagement and ensure volunteer coverage for court observation, rapid response calls, in-the-field tenant outreach, and know-your-rights workshops.
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Train volunteers on court tracking and tenant outreach call procedures and conduct periodic check-ins with volunteers.
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Review daily court observation and call notes and create summaries for the Eviction Mitigation Team, including coordinating follow up for flagged cases.
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Conduct court observation and make tenant outreach calls as needed to supplement volunteer efforts.
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Organize and plan on-the-ground volunteer activities in coordination with the Outreach Specialist.
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Maintain and update Eviction Solidarity Network tenant resource guides found on evictionisnotacure.com.
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Assist in the creation of reports synthesizing court observations, call notes, and volunteer feedback.
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Work with the Data Analyst to create and modify forms and dashboards.
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Contemporaneously document all outreach activities to track outcomes and ensure compliance with funding requirements.
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All other duties assigned.
Required Qualifications:
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Commitment to social, economic, racial and language justice;
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Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written;
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Strong organizational skills;
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Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate well to people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives;
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Ability to effectively multi-task, work well with others under pressure, and creatively adapt as needed;
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Experience with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;
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Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
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Vehicle and driver's license
Preferred Qualifications:
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Volunteer management experience;
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Knowledge of tenants rights and housing justice issues;
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Previous community engagement, or grassroots community outreach experience;
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Familiarity with Salesforce, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl;
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Experience designing effective flyers and print materials with knowledge of Canva a plus;
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Proficiency in languages often spoken or used by tenants in Austin (ie.,Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto, Burmese, ASL);
Compensation:
Salary $39,930-$52,290 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.
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 Volunteer Coordinator Application.”