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New York City

Assistant Commissioner of Housing Policy Analysis and Research

HPD's Office of Policy and External Affairs seeks a qualified candidate to lead the Division of Housing Policy Analysis and Statistical Research (DHPASR).  DHPASR plans and conducts major housing-related research requiring advanced concepts and methods and/or large-scale data collection, processing, and analyses, primarily for the legally required New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (HVS).  DHPASR plans, designs, and implements the projects necessary to conduct the HVS and provides reliable data needed for sound planning, policy analysis and research, and program development.  The Division prepares and submits to the City Council by legally required deadline, the Initial Report on the HVS, presenting and analyzing data on the rental vacancy rate, housing inventory, housing conditions, and other housing market situations required for the Council’s determination of whether a housing emergency exists, as the condition necessary for continuing rent control and rent stabilization in New York City.  The DHPASR prepares the main HVS Report, a comprehensive housing market analysis, presenting and analyzing in-depth data from the HVS on the City’s population, households, housing stock, vacancies, housing conditions, and other characteristics, such as household incomes, rents, and neighborhood conditions.  The Division provides customized HVS data to other Divisions of HPD and other City agencies (Mayor’s Offices, OMB, Department of Homeless Services, Corporation Counsel, etc.) to support planning; program development; defense of the Housing Maintenance Code; legal and legislative analysis; public information; and to respond to federal grant applications and reporting requirements, including annual and periodic Consolidated Plan requirements.

Among the duties surrounding the HVS, DHPASR also provides statistical analysis and research support to:

1. Evaluate the efficacy of existing programming in order to improve service delivery and greater coordination among the agency’s offices and divisions by collecting and analyzing data on HPD’s activities.

2. Identify opportunities for the development and implementation of new policies and programs by analyzing citywide and population-based data to quantify potential needs and impacts.

3 Increase our knowledge of how housing impacts individuals and communities, particularly as it applies to leveraging this knowledge to improve the efficacy of HPD’s policies and highlight opportunities for improved coordination across agencies and policy domains.

The qualified candidate will be expected to supervise the work and training of research staff, provide overall direction, prioritize research proposals, collaborate on analyses, and manage preparation of housing research proposals. S/he will also be expected to direct and conduct descriptive and analytic studies to test specific research questions or hypotheses and identify demographic factors associated with housing maintenance and development, as well as actively lead the development of strategic planning and research funding in the area of affordable housing and related topics and participate in the development of research funding.
    
Minimum Qual Requirements
    1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of full-time satisfactory professional experience in the development, design, construction, appraisal, financing, negotiation or disposition of real estate or in real estate law, or in urban planning, design or renewal, or analytical or coordination work related to housing programs; at least 18 months must have been in an executive, administrative or managerial capacity or supervising professional personnel performing work in the fields noted above; or

2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above. Graduate study in the field of urban studies, city planning, business or public administration, finance, architecture, engineering or other related fields may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience on the basis of 30 credits equaling one year of experience. Graduation from an accredited law school may be substituted for one year of the required experience. However, all candidates must have three years of work experience including at least 18 months of executive, administrative, managerial or supervisory experience as described in "1" above.
    

    Preferred Skills
    The ideal candidate is a scientific leader in the field of social sciences, economics, or a closely related social or policy science discipline, with a history of interdisciplinary collaborations, a demonstrated focus analyzing large scale survey data, and managing across a broad scope of goals and activities.

The candidate should have a PhD in economics, and/or a social and political science discipline with 10 years of experience (Masters 15 years) conducting major research projects requiring advanced concepts and methods or large-scale data collection, processing and analyses.

Preferred experience includes 1) preparation of comprehensive housing market study for a large metropolitan city, using data from large scale and in depth surveys; 2) familiarity with physical, economic, social, legal, and political aspects of New York City's housing market; 3) ability to develop with the Census Bureau the HVS questionnaire and technical procedures; 4) solid knowledge of the structure and functions of the City's Housing market; 5) research related to economic measurement of individuals, families, and households (e.g., wealth, income, consumption, or employment, relationships between economic status or behavior and other well being over the life course of related topics); 6) prior experience managing survey design, fieldwork, and other aspects of data production is encouraged.

Preferred candidate have strong established ties to the social science research community to ensure that the study continues to collect cutting edge data that respond to current and scientific policy needs and to promote the use of the study. The candidate must have a proven track record of scholarly achievement and the ability to thrive in a government, academic, advocacy environment.

Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills. Ability to work interdependently and collaboratively in team setting. Demonstrate a high level of professionalism, integrity, and maturity.