City of Tampa

Employees perform tasks related to HUD Certified housing counseling, underwriting, post-closing, housing assistance, relocation, pre-purchase, and foreclosure prevention programs. Tasks are of more than average difficulty to establish eligibility for low interest loan programs, deferred payment loans, and facilitate citizens' access to programs utilizing underwriting criteria requiring an extensive knowledge of credit and real estate practices, principles and laws, and the ability to determine capacity to repay. Employees process loan and grant applications and are responsible for the expenditure of loan funds utilizing appropriate accounting procedures.

Employees exercise reasonable initiative and independent judgment and must possess extensive knowledge of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program, and State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) regulations/guidelines on homeownership, down payment assistance, and rehabilitation programs. Knowledgeable of additional supportive services such as those of the Tampa Housing Authority, Historic Preservation Board, City of Tampa Acquisition Policies, and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646). Under general supervision, employees maintain and review financial records, coordinate activities with other agencies and provide direct service to individuals in need of housing assistance. Tasks may involve extensive public speaking, public contact, often with citizens whose financial condition precludes obtaining housing through normal channels; therefore, tact and courtesy are required in assisting these individuals as well as real estate personnel, title closers, loan officers, City Attorney’s staff, and others. Work is reviewed through conferences and reports submitted.

Answers questions and refers housing complaints to appropriate agency; facilitates group homebuyer education workshops, provides housing counseling on budget and debt management to individuals who are in default or have delinquent mortgage payments; completes one-on-one housing counseling sessions with individuals who are seeking to become a first-time homebuyer; assists individuals experiencing difficulty locating, securing, and retaining housing; gathers information from clients including income, debts, assets, family size, net worth, and place of business; prepares PowerPoint and other presentations and presents information at various community events; conducts credit checks and confirms information gathered; calculates and advises applicants of eligibility for housing loans and grants; provides alternative affordable housing options; assists with credit, real estate, and mortgage terminology, real estate contracts, relocation procedures, real estate law, home maintenance, inspection process, underwrite loan packages, and other homeownership matters.

Prepares and submits applications for federal and state housing assistance programs; analyzes appraisals, income documentation, closing disclosures, credit reports, inspection reports, surveys and title reports; ascertains clear title through consultation with attorneys; conducts loan settlements; process mortgage payoffs, and closeouts; receives, records, and disburses loan and grant proceeds; maintains records of activities, etc.

Prepares loan packages based on applicant’s ability to repay, credit, and title evaluation, verification of mortgage and income for submittal to the program manager; completes post-closing tasks and acts as liaison between City and private sector on loan packaging.

Prepares and delivers oral presentations concerning processes, procedures, and purposes of various housing assistance programs.

Performs related work as required.

Knowledge of: principles and practices of real estate; federal and state guidelines associated with federal and state housing assistance programs, local lender underwriting criteria, and state bank statutes that affect leveraging programs; income and asset calculation methodologies; processes and procedures employed in housing counseling; real estate laws; programs and agencies that render housing assistance; basic accounting procedures; underwriting guidelines, etc.

Skills of: Microsoft Office, and other housing related software including: CounselorMax, Housing Counseling System, and Neighborly Software.

Ability to: evaluate housing information and draw sound conclusions; counsel and communicate effectively with citizens of diverse socio-economic backgrounds; prepare and deliver written and oral reports; schedule inspections; facilitate education workshops; keep accurate records; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials, other agencies, and the public; work with title companies in creating and editing documents and wire transfers, analyzing reports and offering solutions for changing title clouds, judgments, and liens.

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, human services, urban planning, social sciences, or a related field and five (5) years of experience in mortgage banking, underwriting, real estate, housing counseling, or credit administration including experience with state and/or federal housing assistance programs; OR an equivalent combination of education (not less than possession of a high school diploma/GED), training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-related competencies noted above.

*NOTE: If selected, Florida Real Estate Sales Associate candidates will be required to place license in a voluntary inactive status during employment with the City.

Possession of a valid driver’s license is required.

Certification as a HUD-approved Housing Counselor is required.

Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and Uniform Physical Conditions Standards (UPCS) certification must be obtained within 12 months employment.

Evaluation of education and experience. Drug testing is included in all pre-employment processing.