Regional Leasing Manager- Affordable Housing

Regional Leasing Manager- Affordable Housing

Houston, Texas, United States

Fairstead is a purpose-driven real estate firm dedicated to building affordable communities across the country. Headquartered in New York, with offices in Colorado, Florida, and Washington DC, Fairstead owns and manages a portfolio of more than 30,000 apartments, including pipeline, across 28 states. As an integrated owner, operator, and innovator, Fairstead brings development, construction, and property management under one unified platform to deliver high-quality affordable housing that serves our residents at scale.

At Fairstead, we believe affordable housing should be thoughtfully designed, professionally managed, and responsibly operated. We seek to create and preserve housing that serves residents while delivering long-term value to communities, partners, and stakeholders.

Fairstead challenges industry norms through our tech-forward, entrepreneurial approach to affordable housing. In addition to core real estate capabilities, we operate innovative service lines designed to improve resident outcomes, strengthen communities, and drive operational efficiency. We embrace digital transformation, data-driven decision-making, and emerging technologies, including AI, to build scalable systems that support sustainable growth, grounded in a culture of entrepreneurship, partnership, dedication, and integrity.

The Regional Leasing Manager is responsible for overseeing leasing operations with a primary focus on ensuring full adherence to HUD, Section 8, LIHTC, and all other affordable housing regulatory requirements. This role ensures tenant file accuracy, applicant eligibility, and compliance readiness across the portfolio while still supporting core leasing goals and marketing initiatives. The individual will partner closely with the Compliance Department to ensure portfolio-wide audit success and regulatory preparedness.

* Offering $5000 sign-on bonus

Responsibilities

• Proactively generate leads, conduct informative property tours (virtual and in-person), and follow up with prospects to close sales and secure leases quickly.
• Build meaningful connections within the community by actively participating in local meetings, networking groups, and outreach initiatives. This includes representing the property at organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, senior centers, local businesses, and civic groups to support brand awareness and resident engagement.
• Drive leasing performance and occupancy strategies while maintaining a strong market presence
• Establish and maintain best practices for the creation, organization, and management of lease forms and supporting documentation.
• Develop audit sheet templates to provide transparency into lease terms, provisions, and settings across properties.
• Maintain a consistent update and review schedule for lease forms, including Blue Moon and non-Blue Moon leases.
• Lead the review and standardization of lease-related materials, including move-in packets, fee sheets, renewal offer letters, and correspondence templates.
• Partner with Legal and external counsel to ensure all lease forms, tenant notices, and application documents meet jurisdictional requirements and regulatory standards.
• Oversee compliance of site-specific lease exceptions, including documentation of unique utility billing structures or environmental testing requirements.
• Review marketing, resident selection, and leasing documents for compliance with Fair Housing and other laws.
• Conduct and oversee portfolio-wide lease audits to ensure alignment with company standards and practices.
• Support acquisition due diligence by reviewing lease files, identifying risk areas, and assessing lease health.
• Assist with dispositions by preparing data reports and lease documentation in collaboration with the Asset Management team.
• Provide strategic support to broader business initiatives related to lease administration and operational optimization.
• Maintain a master database of approved fees and rentable items, including legal constraints or policy limitations.
• Evaluate regional and portfolio-wide needs for new or updated lease terms and addenda based on operational feedback and market trends.
• Develop project plans to support the implementation of new lease programs and services, coordinating with stakeholders across the business.
• Respond to ad hoc requests from senior leadership related to lease data and performance (e.g., rent-to-income ratio analysis).
• Manage and mentor a team responsible for lease system configuration, technical troubleshooting, and user support. This includes overseeing lease packet setup in Yardi and Blue Moon, implementation of fee and program changes, resolution of system issues, and liaison with software vendors.
• The team also manages system access, performs lease audits, responds to internal lease documentation requests, delivers training, maintains regulated correspondence, and drives process improvements through KPIs and performance analysis.

Benefits

• Generous employer contribution for Medical Insurance through Meritain Health.
• Employer Paid Vision Plans.
• Company Matched 401(k) Retirement Plan: 100% of the first 3%; 50% of the next 2%.
• 12+ paid Holidays.
• 15 days of PTO.
• 7 Sick days.
• Employer Paid Life Insurance.
• Flexible Spending Account.
• Nationwide Pet Insurance.
• Disability Insurance.
• Laser Correction Discount.
• Employee Discounts on appliances, apparel, and more.

Qualifications

- Minimum 5 years of experience in affordable housing compliance and leasing (HUD/Tax Credit). - COS certification strongly preferred. - Deep knowledge of HUD, Section 8, LIHTC, and other affordable housing regulatory programs. - Proven experience reviewing eligibility, income certifications, and compliance documentation. - Prior experience supporting or leading compliance audits required. - Proficient in Yardi and MS Office Suite. - Exceptional attention to detail, documentation accuracy, and regulatory interpretation. - Strong communication skills and ability to mentor site staff on compliance procedures.

* Must be willing to travel 35%-50%

Diversity in backgrounds and experiences is key to Fairstead's success. Being an equal opportunity employer is a central tenet of our philosophy that shapes who we are and the communities we serve. Our goal is to ensure competitive total compensation that is commensurate with experience, location, and other market benchmarks.