The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) mission is to promote quality housing and viable neighborhoods for New Yorkers.  The department is the nation’s largest municipal housing development agency and is implementing Mayor Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan to build and preserve 165,000 units of affordable housing.  The New Housing Marketplace Plan is the largest municipal affordable housing effort in the nation.  HPD also encourages the preservation of affordable housing through education, outreach, loan programs and enforcement of housing quality standards.

The HPD Housing Fellows Program is designed to bring talented young professionals to HPD to expose them both to the inner workings of New York City government and to the field of affordable housing, with the goal of developing the next generation of affordable housing leadership.  The Fellowship provides a forum for the exchange of fresh and current ideas with those who shape the City’s housing policy through housing- and community development-related lectures, site visits, hands-on policy work and mentoring. 

Program Description

The HPD Housing Fellowship is a two-year program, and individuals who are selected to join the program make a two year commitment to HPD.  Each class of Fellows is chosen following a national search.  Fellows must be recent graduates of schools of public policy, urban studies, management, law, or a related field.  In the first year, Housing Fellows rotate through three four-month placements, learning firsthand about HPD’s efforts to revitalize New York City’s neighborhoods through new construction, rehabilitation, code enforcement, housing litigation, outreach and loans to private owners.  In the second year, Fellows expand their time in a specific program area to encourage further growth by choosing two half-year or one full-year placement.  In addition to their work experiences, Fellows participate in site visits to developments across the City; meet with housing leaders in government, business, nonprofit organizations, and academia; accompany HPD’s code inspectors investigating complaints in the field; and participate in conferences, among other activities.  At the end of the two year period, Fellows either secure positions within HPD or move on to continue working in the field at other agencies or organizations.

Housing Fellows are also able to work at the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC).  HDC issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds to finance low-cost mortgages to developers for the creation and preservation of affordable housing.  It is the nation’s number one issuer of bonds for multi-family affordable housing, and the only municipal housing finance agency in the nation to receive Top Tier designation and an AA general obligation rating from Standard & Poor’s.

Requirements

Applicant must be a recent graduate with a master’s or law degree, and have good writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills.  Demonstrated interest in government and housing is preferred.  [Note that we can only hire American citizens or green-card holders; also, we do not reimburse for relocation costs.]  Selected applicants must become residents of New York City within ninety days following the start of employment.  

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for the fellows is approximately $50,000 to $60,000 depending on years and kind of previous work experience.  Health care benefits begin three months after the start of employment.