Client Services Specialist for the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (City HAP Program)

Client Services Specialist for the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (City HAP Program)

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation's largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York's tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

The Office of Housing Access and Stability ("HAS") consists of the divisions of Housing Opportunity, Tenant and Owner Resources, Housing Stability, Budget and Program Operations, and Program Policy and Innovation. The mission of the office is to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent access to affordable housing. The Office provides subsidies, placement services, and tools that connect New Yorkers to affordable housing and ensures vulnerable households in subsidized housing have the support they need to be safely housed. Housing Access is committed to expanding housing choices, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and stabilizing the financial health of buildings. The Division of Tenant and Owner Resources (DTOR), within HAS, is responsible for the administration of rental subsidy programs that serves over 45,000 households and 9,000 landlords in all five boroughs.

The City Housing Assistance Program (CHAP) is a city funded rental assistance program administered by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). The program provides rental assistance to low-income households with incomes at or below 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) who are at risk of homelessness, including eligible rent-stabilized households facing eviction for nonpayment of rent and certain households residing in shelter who do not qualify for existing rental assistance programs. CityHAP helps eligible households maintain stable, permanent housing by subsidizing their rent, with the household generally contributing 30% of its adjusted monthly income toward rent. The program provides targeted assistance to New Yorkers facing housing instability while helping preserve rent-stabilized housing and prevent homelessness.

As a Client Services Specialist in the Division of Tenant Resources, you are expected to perform customer service functions that provide essential services to assist HPD clients. You will engage with clients via telephone through our call center system, online through various email accounts, and in person with stakeholders. Your responsibilities will include ensuring that participant cases are accurately screened, providing appropriate updates and guidance, and documenting information in relevant databases, all compliance with HPD policies and Federal HUD Rules and Regulations.

Your Role:

• Respond to client calls, providing accurate and satisfactory answers to their inquiries and concerns.
• Review client accounts to provide updates regarding their subsidy programs as requested.
• Prepare and send appropriate correspondence, as well as track responses.
• Assist in reviewing email accounts and the virtual mailroom to route documents to the appropriate units.
• Perform administrative tasks related to records, files, invoices, and reports, including data entry, logging submissions, and tracking correspondence.
• Document and maintain case files and electronic records, preparing files as needed.
• Attend mandatory training sessions.
• Process annual and interim certifications.

Preferred skills:

• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written).
• Call center experience is a plus.
• Strong active listening skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with computers and the ability to learn new software.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent troubleshooting abilities.
• Bilingual skills are a plus.
• Experience with Section 8 or other rental subsidy programs is a plus.

Minimum Qualifications:

Qualification Requirements 1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or 2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness:

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at

Residency Requirement:

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.