Preventing eviction: join us on the front lines

Housing Justice Intake Coordinator

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an energetic bilingual Housing Intake Coordinator to join our Housing Justice team to: 

• help low-income residents of Fayette County who are facing eviction get legal help and referrals to other community resources

• provide intake support to our Housing Justice Project clients

• help  develop community education materials designed to ensure that every tenant in Lexington knows how to access resources 

• work with community partners across Lexington to stabilize housing for low-income and marginalized residents in Lexington

• help erase the racial gap in communities accessing resources and benefits available to all residents of Fayette County

The Fayette County Housing Justice Intake Coordinator will join our versatile housing outreach and legal team in a collaborative effort with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and our immigration law program at Maxwell Street Legal Clinic. The goal: to keep all Kentuckians safe and housed.

Duties and Responsibilities 

The Housing Justice Intake Coordinator will:

• Develop detailed and current knowledge of programs available in Lexington for rental assistance and other benefits, including eligibility rules and where and how to apply for safety net resources

• Conduct interviews with clients and potential clients in English and Spanish with use of telephonic interpretation for other languages

• Prioritize building connections with community partners who serve the Spanish speaking population in Lexington and are directly involved with tenants unions, Community Action organizations, and other countywide agencies

• Field incoming housing-related inquiries by phone, web, and email and provide appropriate information, intake, or referral to rental assistance application clinics and other resources provided by Legal Aid program staff

• Speak with people who are being evicted or who are in danger of eviction to assess their needs and provide them with information about housing resources, refer to the Housing Justice attorneys and/or an Outreach Organizer for case management services while proceeding through Court

• Address barriers that interfere with clients’ ability to effectively participate in saving their housing and conduct activities to connect clients to wrap-around community services

• Provide hands-on application assistance for a limited number of cases; help identify what works and what doesn’t; and advocate for continuous improvement in application and approval processes 

• Help create housing-oriented outreach materials in consultation with our Senior Counsel and Housing Justice Attorneys, including flyers, webinars, presentations, and blogs 

• Work closely with our Housing Justice Attorneys and Senior Counsel to understand and improve the functionality of our online apps to connect people with rental protections, assistance, and legal help

• Coordinate and collaborate with KEJC and legal aid program staff through Zoom calls and meetings, including implementation of a language access plan, referral pathways for direct representation, and continuous improvement of systems and support

• Assist Kentucky Equal Justice Center’s Director, Housing Justice Attorneys, and Development Manager in reporting on project activities and outcomes 

• Participate in professional development in communication, customer service, organizing, or other skills

• Attend our statewide legal services Consumer & Housing Task Force meetings 

Qualifications 

The successful candidate will demonstrate: 

• Two or more years of  relevant education or experience in community outreach, organizing, or intake support

• Strong communication skills, both written and oral

• Comfort working in a multicultural setting, with sensitivity to language, race, ethnicity, disability, and cultural issues 

• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to speak to people from all walks of life and cultures 

• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills

• Ability to use office and computer technology, including case management, spreadsheet and word processing software

• Facility with social media and web-based communications tools 

• Ability to work within a team but also to be a self-starter in developing and carrying out activities 

• Knowledge of low-income issues and trauma-informed advocacy

• Commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion

• Access to transportation either through use of public transportation, ride shares, or personal transportation.

Proficiency in Spanish is required. History of advocacy or community work in Lexington is strongly preferred.

Salary and benefits 

$20.35 to $33.50 an hour DOE.  Part-time, 20 hours a week.  Health and other fringe benefits not included.   

Grant Funded Position with Potential Renewal

This position is funded by a grant from Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) Housing Stability Services through September 2024, with a strong likelihood of extension and renewal. Over time, sustainability will depend on locating new sources of support.

Starting Date:  As soon as possible.

Application instructions

To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and three references to:

Jess Bowman, Housing Justice Project Manager

jess@kyequaljustice.org 

Please put “Housing Intake Coordinator” in the subject line of your email.  References should include phone numbers and email addresses.  Optional: send along examples of recent work such as slides of presentations you are proud of, one-pagers explaining an issue, or a blog post.  Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.  No phone calls please.

Application deadline:  Open until filled.

For more information 

Contact Jess Bowman, Housing Justice Project Manager, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, 201 West Short Street, Suite 310, Lexington, KY 40507. Email: jess@kyequaljustice.org. 

Diversity Statement 

KEJC welcomes your application. As an organization, we are committed to anti-racism and are working to build a racial justice framework into our programming and policy initiatives. We acknowledge our history as a predominately white organization and are committed to ending white supremacy. Doing so is essential to our objective of full equality for all people. 

KEJC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are encouraged to apply. KEJC also supports and encourages people who were formerly convicted to be active in their community. Background checks results that indicate a conviction do not necessarily disqualify you from employment. KEJC reserves the right to request further information to fully assess an applicant’s candidacy in relation to the job duties associated with the position.

About Us 

Kentucky Equal Justice Center was formed in 1976 to work with all of Kentucky’s civil legal services programs on statewide issues and projects. Today, we are a flexible and responsive public interest advocacy organization with a wide variety of community partners. We convene statewide legal aid task forces in multiple areas of poverty law and provide immigration law services through Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in Lexington. 

Kentucky Equal Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer