Housing Rights Fellow

Housing Rights Fellow

Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks a Housing Rights Fellow for its Housing Rights Program. The Housing Rights Fellow will chiefly engage in direct services and community outreach serving California tenants and tenant groups, with a focus on Bay Area tenants and tenant groups in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Sacramento counties.

This position is a key member of our Housing Rights team, which adopts a multi-pronged approach to housing defense and anti-displacement. A critical component of the program is providing holistic, community legal services and know-your-rights education to low income and immigrant tenants who face threats of displacement due to gentrification, harassment, discrimination, and other intimidation tactics. Staff actively participate in community coalitions and work closely with tenants and grassroots advocates to use policy and impact strategies to protect and advance the rights of low-income communities of color. They may also engage in policy advocacy that arises from our representation and outreach work. There may also be the opportunity to engage in some instances of cross program or impact litigation work.

This position reports to the Housing Rights Program Director.

ALC is the nation's first legal organization focusing on advancing and defending the civil rights of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought for access to affordable housing in San Francisco's Chinatown, litigated high profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services, including community education, advocacy, and direct client representation to further the rights of low-income immigrants and communities of color, across our Immigrant Justice, workers' rights, housing rights, and National Democracy Initiative programs, and other emerging areas of law.

ALC is based in San Francisco, a hub of the Asian American rights movement, progressive politics, and social justice activism. Our building in Chinatown is the first mixed-use, affordable housing co-op in San Francisco, serving as a model for preserving affordable housing in the city and protecting tenants' rights.

Day-to-day activities vary in this dynamic position and include the following:

• Direct Services and Representation
• Conduct intakes and as necessary provide legal advice and counsel to tenants through clinics, held twice a month, and legal consultations
• Provide high-quality legal representation to tenants at all stages in unlawful detainer litigation, affirmative litigation, and administrative proceedings
• Represent and counsel tenant groups in organizing tenants or campaigns
• Manage active caseload of housing rights cases, including maintaining client files, records, and notes, as required by case needs and grant-reporting requirements
• Community Outreach
• Build and sustain relationships with grassroots community partners who support tenants and/or do anti-displacement work including in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sacramento, and other California counties.
• Conduct Know Your Rights trainings and other community legal education for tenants and community partners
• Participate in coalitions and provide training, technical assistance, strategy development, and accessible written materials to community organizations and other stakeholders whose work touches on low-income California immigrant tenants
• Impact Litigation, Narrative Change and Policy
• Supporting tenant-led campaigns and tenant organizing through strategic legal advocacy
• Identify systemic problems through direct services work and possibly participate in resulting impact litigation and advocacy efforts
• Contribute to legal research and analysis to inform or guide ALC strategies for litigation and advocacy to build power among immigrant Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities.
• Develop policy analysis around housing issues that impact low income and immigrant tenants
• Develop and work on impact litigation cases --including multi tenant and building-wide housing cases
• Collaborate with Communications staff to develop stories with ALC clients and their communities and execute narrative shifting strategies
• Collaborate with other staff in the Housing Rights Program and perform other duties as needed

J.D. and California bar membership required

Minimum of two (2) year of direct services and legal representation (in any practice area) OR state court litigation experience

Excellent legal research, analytical, written and oral communication skills, and strong interpersonal, organizational, and presentation skills

Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage multiple tasks in a timely manner

Ability to work independently, including managing a caseload, and values accountability

Ability to think creatively, be strategic, and exercise good judgment

Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in changing environments and among varied community stakeholders

Ability to think strategically and balance competing priorities with grace and reason

Ability to work well under time pressure and meet deadlines

Ability to work flexible hours, including some weekends and evenings

Commitment to advancing the rights of low-income, people of color, immigrant, tenant, or worker communities

Previous experience with housing law, eviction defense, fair housing

Previous experience in direct services, litigation, policy advocacy, and/or community lawyering

Previous experience working with low-income immigrant communities

Previous experience working with clients who require interpretation and/or translation

Fluency in a non-English language, particularly Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese

Interested candidates should submit via Breezy (as PDF attachments) the following:

• cover letter explaining your interest in the position
• resume
• writing sample (no more than 10 pages)
• three professional references

Asian Law Caucus is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital or domestic partner status, reproductive health decision-making, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves, domestic violence victim and survivor status, political affiliation, height, weight, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.