Supervisor, New Arrivals Monitoring Team

POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy, the Supervisor of the New Arrivals Monitoring Team (“Supervisor”) will be a dedicated advocate for unhoused migrant individuals and families who, since April 2022, have been arriving in New York seeking shelter and other emergency services (“New Arrivals”). A key member of the Advocacy Department of the Coalition for the Homeless, the Supervisor will play a critical role in ensuring the City’s compliance with the May 15, 2024 settlement in Callahan v. Carey (“Settlement”) which sets forth a framework to address the influx of New Arrivals. Because this is a new position, it is a great opportunity for anyone seeking to participate in designing and implementing a new program, and identifying advocacy, monitoring, and outreach plans in a newly established system.

Building upon the Coalition’s existing shelter monitoring framework, the Supervisor will work collaboratively with the Supervisor of the Shelter Rights Monitoring Team to develop plans and protocols to best achieve the aforementioned goal.

This role will entail managing a small staff and coordinating their day-to-day monitoring and advocacy activities. The Supervisor will also visit New Arrivals shelters throughout the City in order to document violations and other problems. Together with the New Arrivals Monitoring Team, the Supervisor will engage with shelter residents for the purpose of providing referrals to Coalition programs and, as appropriate, communicating directly with the Coalition’s legal counsel and/or City staff to immediately resolve residents’ problems. In collaboration with Advocacy Department staff and the Coalition’s legal counsel, the Supervisor will establish priorities and goals for monitoring and policy initiatives. The Supervisor will also help organize, support, and mobilize New Arrival residents for advocacy campaigns and events.

NOTE: It is uncertain how long the temporary framework set forth in the Settlement will be in effect. Nonetheless, the Coalition is planning to retain the Supervisor and the New Arrivals Monitoring Team until at least September 30, 2026 and will modify job responsibilities as necessary should the temporary framework set forth in the Settlement end earlier.

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Working under the direction of the Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy, the Supervisor will:

Program Development & Implementation

·Work with Coalition’s legal counsel and other Coalition staff to (a) inventory and

assess current landscape of New Arrival shelters, (b) identify applicable City

personnel contacts for New Arrival issues, and (c) ascertain processes that

operationalize City’s obligations under the Settlement

·Using the information acquired in #1, identify the needs and structure for the New Arrival Monitoring Team and revise the same as changes arise

·Conduct monitoring of New Arrival shelters, during daytime, evening, nighttime, and

weekend hours as needed, to assess and document: (a) problem conditions; (b) compliance

or lack thereof with the Settlement, and other applicable court orders; and (c) the needs of residents

·Create a workflow for (a) conducting unannounced visits to New Arrival shelters and inspecting

facilities opened in the future for New Arrivals; (b) follow-ups on such visits,

including protocols for escalation of issues to Coalition’s legal counsel

and/or the relevant City agency; and (c) data collection (including capacity at

each of the New Arrival shelter sites), monitoring and analysis

·Coordinate with Crisis Services and Legal Aid (or other relevant outside services) to

identify the issues with which they and/or New Arrivals Monitoring Team will be

able to assist and establish the protocol for connecting individuals in need of

assistance accordingly

Management Duties

·Work with Coalition’s People and Culture Department and Deputy Executive Director

for Advocacy to recruit New Arrivals Monitoring Team members

·In coordination with the Supervisor of the Shelter Rights Monitoring Team and the Shelter Specialists, train New Arrivals Monitoring Team members

·Supervise the day-to-day activities of the New Arrivals Monitoring Team, including visits

to New Arrival shelters

·Facilitate regular New Arrivals Monitoring Team meetings which may, in coordination with

the Supervisor of the Shelter Rights Monitoring Team, occur jointly with Shelter Specialists

·Meet with each New Arrivals Monitoring Team member separately for regular

supervision

·Complete related administrative tasks for New Arrivals Monitoring Team members, including probationary and annual reviews, reviewing and approving timeslips, and approving time off requests

Advocacy & Policy Development

·To the extent identified in the manner noted above, advocate for individual needs of New Arrival shelter residents as necessary and possible during field visits

·Provide New Arrival shelter residents information and referrals, as appropriate

·Document individual and systemic problems relating to the New Arrivals or for follow-up with the applicable City agency as directed

·Communicate with relevant City agencies regarding compliance with Settlement and track communication to ensure the agency responds and, when appropriate, corrects issues identified by Coalition staff

·Work with Advocacy Department staff and Coalition’s legal counsel to provide litigation support, which may include identifying and liaising with potential plaintiffs to enforce the Settlement or to otherwise defend and expand the rights of homeless individuals and families

·Conduct outreach to New Arrivals who have received, pursuant to the Settlement, a notice advising of any denial of shelter or reasonable accommodations and connect them with Coalition’s legal counsel for possible representation or assistance in appealing such determination

·Identify issues for systemic advocacy based on data collected and other information

learned from New Arrivals Monitoring Team, other Coalition staff or partner agencies

·Collaborate with Director of Research and Policy Development to highlight issues related to

the New Arrivals in State of the Homeless or any other reports

Community Engagement

·Together with Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Campaigns, develop a comprehensive organizing plan to empower New Arrivals accessing City shelters and to address issues impacting unhoused New Arrivals and other unhoused individuals – such plan may include marches, rallies, lobbying efforts or media pieces

·Together with Director of Government Affairs and Strategic Campaigns, identify, and develop relationships with, partner agencies and New Arrival groups to inform and implement organizing strategy

·Develop public education materials and provide community teach-ins/trainings related to the Settlement, the New Arrivals’ rights and obligations thereunder, and other issues impacting New Arrivals accessing shelter and related services

Other Duties

·Liaise with other departments and programs of the Coalition to provide resource materials and increase awareness about the work of the New Arrivals Monitoring Team and to include other staff in related campaigns and events

·Obtain regular supervision with the Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy or designee to review team operations, policy, and other issues/concerns

·Participate in weekly staff and other meetings as directed, such as in-service training and

staff development and orientation activities

·Perform all other duties as may be assigned by the Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA/BS required
• At least three years of relevant advocacy, case management, and/or organizing experience on behalf of homeless and/or low-income people required, with at least one year of experience supervising staff or volunteers desirable
• Experience working with immigrant communities is a plus
• Must have a deep commitment to social justice and, in particular, identifying and addressing the systemic and bureaucratic obstacles encountered by unhoused individuals
• Excellent oral advocacy, writing, editing, computer, and analytical skills as well as a desire to work as part of a team required
• Proficiency in English and at least one of the primary languages of the New Arrivals (which include Spanish, French, Wolof, and Pulaar) strongly preferred
• Ability to work some evenings, nights, and weekends required