Community Development Planner

Job Title:                    Community Development Planner

Department:           Office of the COO

Division:                    Planning & Development

Reports To:             Chief Operating Officer

FLSA:                          Exempt

Salary Range:        Commensurate with Experience

Company Information: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged Dothan Housing (DH) to create a different platform for sustainability by “thinking outside of the box” by becoming a housing authority of the future. This was done through its digital transformation initiative. Whereas, DH has answered the challenge of evolution through transformational leadership and acknowledging the paradigm shift of public housing authorities (PHAs) of doing more with less, moving from paper to the cloud, and streamlining its operations through technology by embracing an online platform. DH has also implemented a modern-day leadership approach focused on creating a high-value organizational culture built on trust, getting the right people on the team, and coaching that team to greatness to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) that will ultimately increase its overall productivity. DH offers remote, flexible, and hybrid work environment so that its employees can work from locations other than the office. DH’s new business model has enhanced its efforts to attract, recruit, and retain an articulate, talented, and diverse workforce of the best and the brightest in the affordable housing industry.

Position Summary: As a Moving to Work (MTW) Expansion Agency under the Landlord Incentives Cohort #3, this position reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO). The Community Development Planner is responsible for the planning and urban design component of a wide range of development projects, including feasibility studies of the physical, economic, and environmental impact of such development projects on specific neighborhoods and the public in general. The position assesses the financial feasibility and options for all real estate development projects, including the financial feasibility analysis of rehabilitation, construction, acquisition, and development for all property types. The Community Development Planner leads the capacity-building efforts to help the Baptist Bottom neighborhood become a Purpose-Built Community by incorporating the Choice Neighborhood model for Dothan Housing (DH) and its instrumentalities through public-private partnerships.

The Community Development Planner is also responsible for the development of the 10-Year Real Estate Development Plan for DH and its instrumentalities, which includes planning, coordinating, and successfully implementing commercial, homeownership, multi-family, and other residential development strategies, including the City of Dothan’s Strategic Affordable Housing Implementation Plan. The position is responsible for overseeing the daily operation of community development activities, providing policy guidance in community development areas, and developing special literature, documents, plans, and reports for publicizing the progress or development of new and existing programs for DH and its instrumentalities. The Community Development Planner plays a critical role in the agency’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), Project-based Voucher (PBV), Rural Development (RD), Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Homeownership, and other Community Development (CD) initiatives by comprehensively addressing the affordable housing gap in the Wiregrass Metro Area (WMA) by pursuing real estate development opportunities and helping submit compelling grant applications and proposals.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in City and Regional Planning, Geography, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Architecture, Community Planning, Business or Public Administration, or Real Estate Development with a minimum of five (5) years of related experience in community development, GIS mapping, data analysis, professional urban planning and design organization; or the equivalent combination of education and experience which meet the minimum qualifications requirement may be substituted.
• Prefer a Master’s degree in degree in City and Regional Planning, Geography, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Architecture, Community Planning, Business or Public Administration, or Real Estate Development with a minimum of three (3) years of related experience in community development, GIS mapping, data analysis, professional urban planning and design organization; or the equivalent combination of education and experience which meet the minimum qualifications requirement may be substituted.