Program Analyst 3 Housing Development Specialist 3 at City of Detroit, MI

About the Department

The Program Analyst III – Housing Development Specialist III is an experienced level position that performs an expanding range of project management assignments.  The Housing Development Specialist III will work closely with the supervisor to outline or discuss possible problem areas and define objectives, plans, priorities, and deadlines.

Under general supervision, the Housing Development Specialist is responsible for supporting the development and preservation of affordable housing by evaluating funding requests for the award and/or modification of financial incentives, including federal grant dollars.  Additional responsibilities include reviewing projects’ financial and physical conditions to ensure ongoing compliance with federal guidelines throughout construction and after project completion. The Housing Development Specialist III independently plans and carries out assignments in conformance with accepted policies and practices; adheres to instructions, policies, and guidelines in exercising judgment to resolve more complex work problems and brings controversial information or findings with recommended actions to the supervisor’s attention.

Position Duties

• Attend meetings of other governmental agencies, business, and community groups as assigned and summarize discussion and action items; draft responses to requests for information.
• Assist in drafting proposed statements of work, requests for proposals and qualifications, and Notices of Funding Availability.
• Upon award of contracts, track contractor performance.
• Collaborate and participate with the Office of Contracting and Procurement in the coordination of the bid process with other staff, contractors, and vendors to ensure bids are obtained in a timely manner.
• Work directly with developers, consultants, HRD staff, recipients or subrecipients to analyze requests for new funds or modifications to loans to determine whether they meet criteria for support.
• Manage development projects from predevelopment through the underwriting, closing, and constuction phases to stabilization.
• Monitor existing investments to ensure that projects remain in compliance with all loan requirements, program guidelines and/or HUD requirements.
• Prepare reports and present to senior management and review committees.
• Perform cost estimates for required rehabilitation, modernization, and/or structural repairs and ensure that work is following program guidelines and HUD requirements.
• Respond to HUD monitoring findings as a result of periodic audits.
• Manage and provide oversight over the utilization of various City tax abatements, primarily regarding housing and mixed-use developments.
• Inspect potential and ongoing projects to ensure they have met Housing Quality Standards and other building quality standards including audit for completion, requirements for minimum health and safety standards, and mechanical, engineering, and technical standards.
• Analyze accepted construction contracts to ensure conformance to construction specifications and cost and negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors.
• Evaluate construction methods and determine cost-effectiveness of plans; work with contractors to solve issues and approve change orders and payment requests. 
• Provide assistance to agencies/departments in preparing for internal and external HUD audits and maintain internal record inventory system providing ease of access as audit requests are made.
• Report to management about asset utilization and audit results of monitored projects and recommends changes in operations and financial activities.
• Enforce Federal and local labor relations regulations, including but not limited to the Davis-Bacon related acts.
• Review payroll reports and worksheets for labor compliance to meet certain grant requirements.
• Serve as liaison with grantors, grant recipients, grant subrecipients, and assigned neighborhoods to clarify, interpret and resolve issues.
• Respond to and resolve difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Qualifications (required):

• Bachelor’s degree from and accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, public policy, urban planning, accounting, finance, economics, construction management, or other related field of study.
• Minimum of three (3) years professional experience in affordable housing development, including risk evaluation and compliance with federal funding requirements.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be substituted to meet the education and experience requirements of this position.

Qualifications (preferred):

Other Qualifications

Evaluation Plan

Interview: 70%

Evaluation of Training, Experience & Personal Qualifications: 30%

Total of Interview and Evaluation T.E.P: 100%

Additional points may be awarded for:

Veteran Points: 0 – 15 points

Detroit Residency Credit:   15 points