FOR 80 YEARS, the Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin (“HACSJ”) has provided and advocated for safe, affordable, and attractive living environments for low income working families, elderly, and disabled residents of San Joaquin County. We are governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners and have a dynamic workforce of ninety-two employees. This diverse and dedicated team blends innovation with decades of experience resulting in successful programs that continue to build a brighter future.
With a $62+ million operating budgets resulting in significant economic benefit to our local economy, we create and sustain vibrant communities, build superior affordable housing, and support the success of over 19,000 residents throughout San Joaquin County.
We own and/or manage:
- 986 public housing units
- 297 Low Income Housing Tax Credit Units
- Twenty-eight affordable units
- Thirty-one year-round farm worker units
- 285 seasonal agricultural migrant housing units
- Allocation of 5495 housing choice vouchers, including:
- 259 HUD-VASH
- 232 EHV
- 74 FUP
- 133 Mainstream
HACSJ has taken a transformative step from custodian of aging HUD properties to affordable developer providing a net increase of new energy efficient units within the County of San Joaquin. With the help of local partners, HACSJ will continue to invest in the repositioning of antiquated housing stock as well as new site acquisition and development. Beyond housing, HACSJ is committed in the implementation of community after-school programs, college scholarships, housing for people with mental health challenges, educational partnerships with non-profit organizations, law enforcement, and of vital importance, homeless service providers. HACSJ and its nonprofit subsidiary, Delta Community Development Corp., also have multiple projects in predevelopment more than five hundred units of additional affordable housing.
Our team members are motivated and empowered to make a positive difference and bring opportunities to those in our community who need help the most. We continuously strive to cultivate a working environment that inspires innovative ideas, promotes ownership and experimentation, and supports highly motivated individuals to be truly creative.
At HACSJ, we acknowledge and value our differences. We strive for all employees, regardless of background, to feel respected personally and professionally, and we are always looking to onboard talented individuals with varied perspectives and lived experiences.
In collaboration with our partners, we serve our residents with employment and educational opportunities, service referrals, utility assistance and recreational opportunities for our youth. As steadfast stewards of the communities within San Joaquin County, we advocate every day on behalf of our residents to create opportunities for improved health, education, and life.
Ideal Candidate
Serves as the General Counsel to HACSJ, including but not limited to HACSJ's Board of Commissioners, executive staff, and senior management. Provides oversight and guidance over all HACSJ strategic and tactical legal initiatives, programs, and services; and manages the work of the HACSJ's contracted external counsels. HACSJ is an active affordable housing developer, and this position will also serve as General Counsel to the Board of Directors for HACSJ’s solely owned instrumentality, Delta Community Developers Corp., and its related development entities (collectively “DCDC”).
We Are Not Your Average Government Agency
We Challenge Ourselves to Innovate
We Welcome New Ideas
Salary
$180,000 to $222,000 DOE
Position Summary
The General Counsel is a contracted position reporting directly to and receiving instruction from the Board of Commissioners and Board of Directors (“Boards”), in the first instance, and then the Executive Director or designee (“ED”) and staff of HACSJ and DCDC. This is a single position class performing complex and highly responsible work in the legal management and oversight of HACSJ's operations, programs, and affiliated entities/instrumentalities. This includes, but is not limited to, HACSJ's Public Housing and Section 8 programs, participates in real estate acquisition, disposition and redevelopment activities, development activities asset management, litigation management, contracting and public entity law and governance. The General Counsel is responsible for regularly exercising independent judgment, discretion and initiative within a general policy framework established by the Boards.
Essential Job Functions HACSJ and DCDC
- Serves as HACSJ's legal counsel and advisor on all legal matters relating to HACSJ's operations, programs, and activities. This includes, but is not limited to, the HACSJ’s Public Housing and Section 8 programs, real estate acquisition, unlawful detainers, asset management, litigation management, contracting and public entity law and governance.
- Provides general legal advice to the Boards, Executive Director and staff including preparing, reviewing, and approving proposed resolutions and contracts for form and content. Write legal opinions covering a variety of legal issues and make recommendations regarding the resolution of such issues. Provide legal advice in the implementation of recommendations, as approved, and required.
- Assumes responsibility for general corporate governance, including but not limited to maintaining, updating, and ensuring compliance with corporate formation documents and other related filings for the HACSJ, DCDC and its affiliated entities.
- Reviews and assists with staff reports and develops proposed resolutions to the HACSJ's Board of Commissioners and DCDC Directors’ Meetings.
- Provides counsel at Boards’ meetings in conformance with the Brown Act and other applicable regulations.
- Assumes responsibility for ensuring that the programs and activities of HACSJ are conducted in compliance with applicable laws, statutes, codes, and regulations.
- Assists in response to HUD, Fair Housing, Public Record Requests (Cal PRA and FOIA), and other matters at the discretion of HACSJ and DCDC.
- Recognizes potential and actual conflicts of interest under state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and programs and investigates the same up to and including resolution with appropriate sensitivity and use of external counsel and other resources where warranted.
- Provides advice and legal services on “Labor & Employment Matters” to the ED, executive staff and/or Human Resources including preparing, reviewing, and approving proposed resolutions and contracts for form and content. Write legal opinions covering a variety of human resources legal issues and make recommendations regarding the resolution of such issues. Provide legal advice on the implementation of recommendations.
- Provides legal advice and services to the Boards regarding Labor & Employment Matters.
- Develops, coordinates, and executes policies, methods, and procedures relative to Labor & Employment Matters and processes of HACSJ and DCDC.
- Provides legal review of proposed documents that may include but is not limited to Request for Proposals (“RFP”), Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) and bargaining unit Memoranda of Understanding (“MOU”).
- Evaluates the merits of court cases, regulatory inquiries, and other legal actions filed against or on behalf of HACSJ and DCDC; collaborates with the appropriate executives to define strategic positions and/or defenses; recommends settlements of disputes where warranted.
- Participates in the development of HACSJ and DCDC policies, procedures, and related business documents.
- Negotiates and drafts contracts, agreements, and settlements on behalf of the HACSJ and DCDC which are consistent with their interests, law, and relevant rules of professional responsibility.
- Provides legal support on a broad variety of real estate and financing transactions.
- Identifies, analyzes, and responds appropriately to risks which have legal implications that may adversely affect realization of the business objectives of HACSJ and DCDC; advises executives and managers regarding the legal aspects of their exposure to identified risks.
- Collaborates with executive staff, managers, stakeholders, and external legal counsels, as appropriate, to identify and mitigate against legal risks, comply with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, and adopt and improve policies, procedures, and practices.
- Identifies needs and develops training programs and activities for the purpose of keeping executives, managers and staff informed of the latest changes in the law and developing best practices within the industry.
- Develops a clearly understood framework for legal policies and practices.
- Participates in the selection, retention, management, and evaluation of outside counsel in conformity with applicable state and federal procurement requirements.
- Functions as an integral partner with the Boards and the senior leadership team of HACSJ and DCDC.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Additional Job Functions for Delta Community Developers Corp
Predevelopment Activities
- Assists with drafting and negotiating general contractor agreements compliant with State and Federal rules for initial and construction phases. Form DCDC affiliated nonprofit corporations or limited liability companies to serve as managing general partners or special limited partners of affordable housing partnerships.
- Assists in completion of funding applications and negotiation of related agreements.
- Demonstrates knowledge of, and experience in, assisting with addressing land use issues such as tentative maps, lot line adjustments, title, etc., under California law and County of San Joaquin regulations.
- Support that proposed structures reflect compliance with any HUD regulations and operating requirements and subsidy procedures.
- Advises on project eligibility for State of California property tax exemption.
Affordable Multi-family Housing
- Assists with key documents between DCDC, nonprofit partners, other public agencies and conventional lenders and investors, as applicable, including:
- HUD and HACSJ/DCDC regulatory and operating agreements.
- Ground leases to partnerships.
- Review and negotiate third party documents, including:
- Private construction lender/bank loan documents, including loan agreements and notes.
- Deeds of trust, security agreements, and completion and repayment guarantee.
- State entity (such as CalHFA or CalHCD) loan documents.
- City loan documents.
- Loan documents for other financing sources such as Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program (AHP) funds.
- Environmental agreements.
- Subordination agreements.
- Required legal opinions
- Escrow instructions.
- Reviews and assists in drafting HUD rental term sheets/mixed finance proposals.
- Advises regarding consistency of provisions among various funding sources.
- Advises on necessary DCDC actions, approvals, and provisions in any applicable HACSJ/DCDC plans.
- Reviews and approves title insurance, performance bonds, etc.
- Prepares or reviews exhibits to Mixed-Finance Amendments.
- Negotiates document approvals with HUD, lenders, investors, etc.
- Provides required legal opinions to HUD in connection with evidentiaries; and
- Participates in acquisition, construction, and permanent closings, ensure correct execution and recordation of evidentiaries
Required Future Knowledge and Abilities
- Knowledge of the purposes, policies, and regulations of the HACSJ.
- Ability to understand, act on, and interpret policies, regulations, and procedures as set forth by the HACSJ’s Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plans and HUD.
- Knowledge of the local, state, and federal laws governing public and other subsidized housing programs including resident selections, landlord/resident regulations, leasing of property and evictions.
- Knowledge of social trends and economic conditions and their application to overall community service programs, and knowledge of the sources and availability of information relating to social services with the ability to secure the confidence and cooperation of other public agencies.
- Ability to plan, organize, and develop a wide variety of operational and management programs and procedures. Ability to establish, monitors, and achieve objectives through skillful delegation of duties.
- Ability to orient and evaluate other workers and explain organizational policies, rules, regulations, and procedures. Ability to evaluate performance of subordinates accurately, correct deficiencies, guide, replace, and re-assign personnel.
- Ability to assist in planning, promoting, and evaluating housing and housing-related programs, and participates with the executive staff in preparation of management plans. Ability to prepare and present ideas in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, vendors, consultants, contractors, residents, HUD, and local, state, and federal officials. Ability to communicate with people from a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds.
Behavioral Competencies
Client Services - Provides timely, courteous, and quality service to an individual whether internal or external by anticipating individual needs, following through on commitments, and ensuring that our clients have been heard.
Initiative - Proactively seeks solutions to resolve unexpected challenges. Actively assists others without formal/informal direction. Possesses the capacity to learn and actively seeks developmental feedback. Applies feedback for continued growth by mastering concepts needed to perform work.
Professional Behavior - Exhibits positive, polite, courteous, honest, and conscientious behavior with all internal/external clients. Accepts responsibility for actions and adjusts behavior as appropriate.
Communication – General Counsel is clear, concise, and organized in all facets of communication to fully transfer understanding. Actively listens and ability to adapt messaging. Strives to communicate information with appropriate personnel in a timely manner.
Teamwork - Actively and collaboratively participates, despite personal differences, towards a common goal. General Counsel is open to innovative ideas and/or approaches. General Counsel is aware of changes that impact internal and external customers and effectively communicates the impact when working as a team.
Integrity - General Counsel is honest with oneself, co-workers, and clients. Stands up for what is right even in the face of opposition.
Safety Awareness - General Counsel is cognizant of his/her surroundings. Follows proper safety procedures and considers the safety of self and others. Identifies, communicates, and assists in the correction of any safety concerns where appropriate.
Reliability & Judgment - General Counsel demonstrates sound reasoning and critical thinking by making decisions in line with established expectations. Performs work in a reliable manner that is both accurate and timely.
Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience
Additional Requirements
- A Juris Doctor degree from an accredited American Bar Association School of law.
- License to practice law in the State of California.
- Five (5) years legal experience.
- Admission or eligibility for admission to practice in California's federal courts.
- Must possess and maintain a California Driver’s License with a driving record acceptable to HACSJ’s insurer.
About San Joaquin County
A land of beauty, recreation and natural riches-from the waters of the Delta to the vines of the wine, San Joaquin County has it all. San Joaquin County boasts eight cities and some of the finest opportunities in the state for boating, fishing, camping, history-gathering, or just plain fun in the sun. Each city, as well as the unincorporated county areas, offers a unique opportunity to enjoy natural California beauty and nature, or music, arts, and culture. Whatever your interest, it can be found in San Joaquin County.
Arts, Culture, and Recreation
The arts and culture provide a much-needed respite from everyday worries and the Haggin Museum, San Joaquin County Historical Museum, and Stockton Children's Museum are popular spots.
The Stockton Symphony, San Joaquin County Ballet, and Stockton Civic Theater provide important experiences for children and adults. The multi-cultural community offers a diversity of views and opinions in its art and culture, providing a wealth of knowledge about past and present on canvas and stage.
Over seventy-five languages are spoken within the region and there is richness in the blending of cultures and ways that creates an air of celebration about individual customs, foods, and cultures.
San Joaquin County government provides nine community parks for boating, camping, and picnicking, swimming, and organized sports. Annual family events include the Asparagus Festival, attended by thousands of fun-seekers from the County and beyond.
Individual cities and communities provide a host of other opportunities, from Lodi Lake Park and Nature Area to the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve. The County-owned and operated Micke Grove Park offers a zoo, rides, and a historical museum to delight both children and adults. The San Joaquin Delta is one of the area's best kept secrets and offers some of the best boating in the state: more than 1,000 miles of waterways stretching from the Stockton Harbor to north of Sacramento and offering access to the San Francisco Bay.
Education
From preschool to higher education, the County has it covered with an abundant array of public or private opportunities to learn and grow. The University of the Pacific, California State University, Stanislaus-Stockton Center, Humphreys College and Law School, National University, and the San Joaquin Delta Community College offer a wide variety of choices for educational opportunities. The County’s 17 school districts provide families with a wide choice for children's educational development.
Agriculture
The county is one of the most agriculturally rich regions in California. Grapes are the leading commodity, with 98,000 bearing acres, much of that in wine grapes. Over eighty-five wineries within the Lodi Appellation offer opportunities for tasting and special events.
Almonds, walnuts, tomatoes, and cherries round out the top crops, with an abundance of other produce. Weekly farmers markets throughout the county offer a cornucopia of fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruit stands and pick-your-own produce farms dot the countryside.
Housing
Housing is plentiful in San Joaquin County and is affordable when compared to other nearby areas.
Housing ranges from new developments to historic homes found mostly in central Stockton and downtown Lodi. San Joaquin County is a place where families can grow, learn, and experience the nature and beauty of the California landscape while benefiting from the unique opportunities - cultural, recreational, and educational - that the area provides.
Email: nglossa@hacsj.org