Friendly Landlord Network Coordinator

For over 30 years, Aunt Leah’s Place has helped prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless, and mothers in need from losing custody of their children throughout Metro Vancouver.  To support them on their journey to self-sufficiency, we provide supported housing, job training and coaching on essential life skills.

We work proactively at the ‘entry’ and ‘exit’ points of the foster care system, helping low-income families maintain custody of their children and for foster youth readying to ‘age out’ with supports similar to what modern parents do for their own adult children in transition.

Job Summary: 

Housing engagement will take place to expand and maintain a Metro Vancouver-wide network of ‘friendly landlords’ who are interested in renting an apartment, suite, or part of their home to youth aging or aged out of foster care.  This Friendly Landlord Network also represents a network of 19 local youth-serving agencies who collectively support young people through their tenancy. Functionally, the Friendly Landlord Network operates as an online database resource for Metro Vancouver foster youth and caregivers; working to offer safe, affordable market housing in a variety of Metro Vancouver communities.

Reports to:  Program Director

Qualifications:

• 
  Minimum 2-years post-secondary education in a relevant field of study showing strong advocacy and critical thinking skills and experience in property rental or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Experience in the non–profit sector
• Experience in real estate/property management, sales, customer satisfaction, or community engagement is valuable
• Ability to work within a trauma-informed lens
• Multicultural awareness and sensitivity
• Criminal Record Check with Police Information Check from local RCMP
• A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle
• Ability to work flexible hours

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong research skills
• Knowledge of the current rental market
• Strong knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act
• Strong interpersonal and advocacy skills
• Strong conflict resolution skills
• Knowledge of the development of communication concepts
• Empathy and compassion toward people with barriers
• Demonstrated ability to be organized and prioritize
• General computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)
• General knowledge and experience using various Social Media platforms
• Highly creative and passionate in pursuit of implementing and using new ideas to help solve difficult social problems
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment

Requirements:

• Criminal Record Check
• Adherence to the Aunt Leah’s Code of Ethics
• Follows Aunt Leah’s Practice Guidelines
• Valid Driver’s License & business liability insurance

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Development

• Ensures that required reporting is provided in a timely manner.
• Assists the Program Director with implementing program initiatives and objectives

Communications

• Update and maintain the Friendly Landlord Network website and database for Aunt Leah’s Place
• Develop and maintain relationships with potential landlords, advocates, youth-serving organizations, and stakeholders
• Provide online database training to the local 19 youth-serving organizations
• Work in collaboration with the Aunt Leah’s Place Housing Case Manager and other departments

Housing Community Engagement Deliverables:

• Liaise with potential “friendly Landlords” who would be willing to rent to young people experiencing or facing homelessness
• Maintain regular contact and provide “ check-ins” with current landlords
• Work with established partnerships with other youth-serving organizations in the housing sector to expand opportunities for housing for youth in and from care through Collective Impact TRRUST’s housing cluster, launching a pilot Landlord Guarantee Fund with Ready to Rent BC
• Continued design process with stakeholders, landlords, and youth to grow and develop the program
• Coordination of testing and adaption of online and offline tools
• Target sample of landlords: social marketing, public outreach, and engagement/networking
• Actively build connections with organizations and families serving youth from care through presentations, round tables, and social media
• Actively build community & neighborhood connections through door-to-door visits, one-to-one meetings & presentations
• In consultation with partners, assess feasibility and considerations for a larger-scale shared platform for recruitment, support, and retention of prospective landlords
• Coordination with IT Resource Worker to create and maintain a searchable online database where landlord (information) location, price, type of accommodation, etc.) can be accessed by invited potential youth and service providers
• Maintain tracking of social and financial outcomes quarterly and annually. Report results back to funders
• Maintain a regular weekly onsite presence at Aunt Leah’s office in downtown Vancouver.

4. Health and Safety:

• Ensure that all rental locations maintain Society standards and are in accordance with Aunt Leah’s policies and procedures manual by ensuring location environments are clean, safe, and secure and abide by B.C.’s Health and Safety Housing Standards
• Conduct bi-yearly apartment inspections; document findings on the inspection form

• Completes and participates in the annual review of Health and Safety Reports and Policy and Procedures

Physical Demands

• Work performed in an office environment in the Vancouver office and/or New Westminster office with the possibility for some remote work as needed
• May be required to attend off-site training
• Will be working offsite within the Metro Vancouver area viewing potential rental suites and properties and meeting with potential landlords
• Hours of work: generally Monday to Friday – 9am to 5pm
• Some flexibility with working evenings and/or weekends (meeting with potential FLN landlords and viewing of suites) is required

This position may be required to perform other related duties that do not affect the nature of the work.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy: As of January 4, 2022, Aunt Leah’s Place has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination policy. Aunt Leah’s Place strongly encourages all employees to be fully vaccinated (2 doses) for COVID-19. Rather than a mandatory vaccine policy, we have implemented a voluntary disclosure of vaccination. Employees will fill out a “voluntary disclosure” form indicating their vaccination status. Employees that do not wish to voluntarily disclose their vaccination status will be considered unvaccinated for operational planning purposes. The voluntary disclosure form will be included in the hiring process.

We offer: A comprehensive benefits package that includes: dental, extended health care including vision care and prescription, RRSP matching, generous vacation, and personal time package, and an employee discount at our Thrift Store.

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications

To apply: Please send your resume and cover letter with salary expectation, quoting FLN Coordinator in the subject line, to . Short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. Thank you for your interest in joining Aunt Leah's Independent Life Skills Society!

We encourage qualified people of all gender expressions and identities, sexual orientations, visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities to apply if you are interested in supporting our mission and mandate and like what we have to offer.