Senior Staff Attorney (Real Estate/Redevelopment)

The Position: The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (“HACLA”) seeks a well-qualified, highly motivated attorney to serve as a Senior Staff Attorney to handle real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment matters.

The ideal candidate will have substantial and significant real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment experience, as well as general land use expertise, particularly in the area of land leasing, property acquisition, and property disposition. Experience handling general governmental administrative matters, public works, and professional services contracts, as well as managing outside counsel, is also desirable.

Characteristics of the Class

The position allocable in this exempt classification will work with and at the direction and supervision of HACLA’s General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel on various real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment matters, including CEQA/NEPA issues, and providing additional assistance in other municipal law matters as needed.

Job Description:

• Prepares and/or reviews real estate-related agreements, including but not limited to letters of intent, purchase and sale agreements/addendums, lease agreements, licenses, assignments, easements, real estate listing agreements, loan agreements, and recordable instruments such as easements, leases, deeds, covenants, and other agreements;
• Assists with document preparation and review, as well as negotiations related to affordable housing and tax credit development/redevelopment and the conversion of public housing to mixed–income affordable housing;
• Assists with Low Income Housing Tax Credit transactions and CTCAC requirements, conduit bond issuance and CDLAC requirements, and all documents related to housing development financings, including HUD subsidies such as Project-Based Vouchers, the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program, and state grants and loans;
• Assists with land use, zoning, entitlement, and environmental law matters;
• Assists with real estate-related contracting, including broker practice, tenant relocation, property management, and construction contracting;
• Performs legal research and prepares memoranda and legal opinions as requested;
• Provides legal direction to outside counsel negotiators, and negotiates and drafts complex documents such as ground leases, commercial leases, disposition and development agreements, deeds, master development agreements, exclusive negotiating agreements, third party contracts, loan documents, and financing documents related to routine and non-routine real estate transactions and large- scale development projects;
• Handles all aspects of closings for the sale, acquisition, and disposition of HACLA and its instrumentalities’ properties, including review of title reports and disposition of title matters such as liens and encumbrances, as well as review of surveys and appraisals;
• Reviews, drafts, and comments on staff board reports and board resolutions, including helping ensure compliance with the Brown Act and agency contracting authorities;
• Oversees outside counsel in the areas of real estate, redevelopment, and municipal finance;
• May serve as counsel to HACLA’s instrumentalities;
• Provides legal assistance to ensure compliance with state and federal public works contracting requirements, including those under federal Davis-Bacon and related acts and state prevailing wage laws; and
• Assists in other legal matters and performs other duties as assigned.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Advanced knowledge of real estate, housing development, and redevelopment law

Knowledge of municipal, state, and federal laws, including regulations and codes affecting California government entities

Experience working for a public entity or for public entity clients

Ability to analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents

Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form with HACLA officials and staff members in various departments as well as representatives of outside agencies and private corporations

Experience working with the housing development community, including private developers, lenders, escrow and title companies, trustees, outside counsel, and other government agencies

Experience with conduit bond transactions and internal agency bond issuances

Ability to interpret and apply various government codes and regulations

Ability to multi-task and work independently with limited supervision

Ability to manage a large volume of work and complete varied assignments within a narrow time frame, as well as handle stressful or sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy

Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships both internally within HACLA and externally in the performance of required duties and to act as part of a team to collectively provide the highest level and most beneficial advice for internal clients (staff) of HACLA

Minimum Requirements:

Graduate of an ABA accredited law school and member in good standing of the California State Bar. A minimum of five (5) years of experience preferably working in the areas of real estate or development/redevelopment law.

License Required: Must be a member of the California Bar in good standing. Must possess a valid California Class "C" Driver's License at time of appointment.