Tenants' Rights Hotline Team Member

Met Council on Housing is seeking volunteers to join our Mutual Aid Tenants’ Rights Hotline team (especially people who are EN/ES bilingual). The hotline serves thousands of tenants all over New York City every year. Hotline Team Members answer questions about common tenant issues, inform callers of their rights, and help them determine the best course of action to assert those rights. As part of our hotline team you will be directly helping tenants in need fight against their predatory, abusive landlords and stay in their homes. Our hotline operates on the principle of mutual aid: we believe that tenants are the best resource for other tenants.

There is no specific experience or knowledge base necessary to join. We provide training in the use of our systems and in the key areas of NYC tenants’ rights. Our organization has searchable fact sheet material which explains common tenants' rights in layman terms, a reference sheet to easily refer people when needed, and a supervising Hotline Coordinator who is available during the entirety of the shift to answer any questions volunteers may have. Through training, experience taking calls, and the support of the hotline coordinator, Hotline Team Members become incredibly knowledgeable about tenant issues and the housing landscape in New York City. Knowledge gained through helping hotline callers generally becomes helpful in the lives of our volunteers and the people around them. Many of our hotline volunteers are long term, volunteering with Met Council on Housing for years.

Team Members must attend an in person training prior to beginning on the hotline, and volunteer in person for the first 3 months. Afterwards, volunteers have the option to move remote. They are expected to attend remote team meetings every other month to stay informed and continue their growth as Team Members.

Responsibilities include:

• Listening to callers & asking questions that help identify the potential root causes & rights being violated
• Providing education about tenants' rights, resources, and referrals
• Using the Met Council on Housing website, HPD, and HCR websites to research answers while on the phone with callers
• Collecting information on callers and entering it into a database while on the phone
• Accurately summarizing the issue and information given in the database
• Keeping the Hotline Coordinator informed of important calls or issues that are coming up
• Asking callers to join or get involved with Met Council on Housing to help build tenant power 

Qualifications:

• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish preferred
• A working phone
• If planning on volunteering remotely, a computer and good internet connection
• Good listening & communication skills
• Belief in housing as a human right
• Awareness of how intersecting aspects of identity (race, disability, immigration status, etc.) impact one’s access to stable housing
• Primary residence in NYC
• A willingness to learn and the self-motivation to continue studying 
• Comfort asking questions when you are unfamiliar with an issue
• Strong sense of compassion and empathy
• Ability to discuss sensitive issues with care
• A calm and open demeanor
• Prior experience dealing with landlord issues or housing court a plus! 

We ask that volunteers commit to one weekly shift, and to a minimum of 3 months of volunteering (though many stay for years). We currently have availability on the following shifts:

Monday, 1:30pm-5pm

Monday, 5:30pm-8pm

Wednesday, 1:30pm-5pm

Wednesday, 5:30pm-8pm

Friday, 1:30pm-5pm

Please email jermaya@metcouncilonhousing.org with a few sentences about yourself, why you are interested in joining our hotline team, and what shifts you are available for. Please include any questions you may have about the position. We look forward to hearing from people interested in the role!