Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Affordable Housing Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Affordable Housing Specialist is a subject-matter expert responsible for advancing affordable housing development, preservation, and program delivery. This role combines regulatory compliance (LIHTC, HOME, HUD, RD, CDBG), program and asset management, funding and grant administration, tenant eligibility and supportive services coordination, and stakeholder engagement. The Specialist supports project pipelines from acquisition through lease-up and stabilization, ensures performance against funding and regulatory requirements, and helps scale affordable housing solutions through technical assistance, community outreach, and policy-informed practice.

Keywords: Affordable Housing Specialist, LIHTC compliance, HUD, HOME, tax credit monitoring, affordable housing development, asset management, tenant services, grant administration, preservation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Housing Program Coordinator or Housing Case Manager
Property Management or Asset Management Associate (affordable housing portfolio)
Grants or Compliance Analyst in housing or community development

Advancement To:

Senior Affordable Housing Specialist / Project Manager
Affordable Housing Program Manager or Asset Manager
Director of Housing Development or Director of Preservation

Lateral Moves:

Grants & Compliance Manager
Community Development Manager
Policy Analyst focused on housing affordability

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement, and manage affordable housing projects from site acquisition through construction, lease-up, and long-term stabilization, coordinating with developers, general contractors, architects, lenders, and local government agencies to meet schedule, budget, and regulatory milestones.
Administer and ensure ongoing compliance with federal, state, and local funding programs including LIHTC, HUD programs (Section 8, HOME), USDA RD, CDBG, and local housing trust fund requirements, maintaining required documentation and preparing for audits and monitoring visits.
Lead tenant income certification and occupancy processes, including initial eligibility determination, annual and interim recertifications, waitlist management, verification of income and household composition, and maintenance of confidential tenant files in accordance with program rules.
Prepare, manage, and submit funding applications, loan requests, grant proposals, and tax credit syndication materials, crafting compelling narratives, financial exhibits, and compliance schedules to secure capital and operating subsidies.
Conduct pro forma financial analysis, sources & uses statements, development budgets, rent and subsidy modeling, and sensitivity analyses to assess project feasibility, advise on deal structure, and support underwriting decisions.
Manage asset oversight functions for affordable housing portfolios, including review of operating budgets, oversight of property management vendors, capital needs assessments, reserve studies, and long-term preservation strategies.
Monitor and enforce property-level compliance with Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) and fair housing laws, accessibility requirements (ADA), and other civil rights obligations, integrating nondiscrimination practices into tenant selection and service delivery.
Serve as primary liaison with public agency funders, lenders, investors, syndicators, and regulatory partners during development, stabilization, and compliance review processes to ensure timely funding disbursements and regulatory alignment.
Coordinate relocation planning and temporary housing support for redevelopment and rehabilitation projects, working with tenants, management, and social service partners to mitigate displacement and ensure continuity of services.
Lead lease-up and marketing strategies for newly constructed or rehabilitated affordable units, including outreach to referral partners, managing waitlists, conducting eligibility screenings, and tracking occupancy metrics to achieve targeted stabilization timelines.
Maintain robust project and tenant recordkeeping systems, generating routine and ad-hoc compliance and performance reports for funders, boards, and internal stakeholders using Yardi, Excel, Access, or other property management databases.
Conduct site inspections and coordinate with property management to ensure unit habitability, HQS standards, timely repair and maintenance, and adherence to capital improvement plans and deferred maintenance schedules.
Provide technical assistance and training to property managers, nonprofit partners, and local government staff on program rules, compliance best practices, tenant certification, and reporting requirements to improve portfolio performance.
Design and implement tenant services and supportive housing coordination for households with special needs, including linkage to case management, rental assistance, transportation, employment, and mental health services to promote housing stability.
Monitor construction compliance with program requirements, including Davis-Bacon labor standards, Section 3, prevailing wage rules where applicable, and ensure that contract documents and change orders comply with funder requirements.
Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) such as occupancy rates, average days to lease-up, collections rates, and compliance status to senior leadership and funders to drive continuous improvement.
Lead procurement processes for consultants and vendors (property managers, compliance consultants, architects) including bid solicitation, selection criteria, contract negotiation, and vendor performance monitoring to protect project timelines and budgets.
Manage closeout and permanent loan conversion processes, ensuring final compliance and statutory deliverables are met for funding instruments like tax credits, HOME loans, or HUD programs.
Support policy analysis and program design initiatives by synthesizing project-level data and outcomes to inform funding priorities, preservation strategies, and local housing policy development.
Oversee risk management and insurance compliance for affordable housing assets, coordinating certificate of insurance tracking, loss mitigation activities, and ensuring coverage aligns with lender and funder requirements.
Prepare and present regular updates to boards, funders, investors, and community stakeholders, translating technical compliance and financial performance data into clear narratives and actionable recommendations.

Secondary Functions

Conduct community outreach and stakeholder engagement to incorporate resident voices and neighborhood context into project design and service plans, leveraging partnerships to broaden referrals and support tenant retention.
Support ad-hoc data requests, maintain housing pipelines and preservation inventories, and contribute data to city or county affordable housing dashboards to increase transparency and program impact.
Assist in policy compliance reviews and internal audits, remedying identified deficiencies and implementing process improvements to strengthen program integrity and funder relationships.
Contribute to long-range housing strategy and preservation planning by analyzing expiring-use risks, subsidy expirations, and opportunities for acquisition or refinancing to prevent loss of affordable units.
Provide backup support for emergency housing issues, eviction prevention protocols, and temporary rental assistance coordination during crisis events or funding transitions.
Collaborate with finance teams to reconcile project draw requests, monitor cashflow, and ensure timely disbursement of capital and operating subsidies.
Participate in cross-functional teams for new program pilots (e.g., tenant-based subsidy pilots, rapid rehousing initiatives) and provide operational input for scalable program models.
Manage grant reporting and compliance schedules, ensuring timely submission of narrative and financial reports to foundations, municipal funders, and federal agencies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

LIHTC (Low-Income Housing Tax Credit) compliance and monitoring, including knowledge of 8823 reporting and investor reporting requirements.
HUD program expertise (Section 8/HCV, HOME, HOPWA) including eligibility rules, income calculation, and reporting.
Experience with property management and asset management software (Yardi, MRI, RealPage) and CRM/reporting tools (Salesforce, Excel, Access).
Financial modeling and pro forma construction for affordable housing deals, including sources & uses, cashflow analysis, debt sizing, and tax credit equity modeling.
Grant and loan application writing, funder negotiation, and capital stack development for multifunded housing projects.
Knowledge of procurement, contract management, and construction compliance (Davis-Bacon, prevailing wage, Section 3).
Tenant income certification and eligibility verification procedures, including rent calculation and recertification protocols.
Data management and reporting: ability to produce compliance reports, KPI dashboards, and audit-ready documentation.
Familiarity with local, state, and federal housing regulations, zoning, and land use processes that impact affordable housing development.
Experience conducting site inspections, capital needs assessments (CNA), and preparing scopes of work for rehabilitation projects.
Basic GIS and mapping skills for site selection and neighborhood analysis (preferred).
Understanding of supportive housing models and coordination with social service providers for case management referrals.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication for preparing funder reports, presenting to boards, and conducting community outreach.
Strong stakeholder management and partnership-building skills with public agencies, nonprofit developers, lenders, and community groups.
High level of attention to detail and organization to maintain compliance-ready files and track multiple funding timelines.
Problem-solving mindset with the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and find creative financing solutions.
Project management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and coordinate multidisciplinary teams.
Cultural competency and trauma-informed approach to working with low-income households and vulnerable populations.
Negotiation and conflict resolution skills for vendor contracts, tenant issues, and interagency coordination.
Data-driven decision making and comfort synthesizing quantitative performance metrics into program improvements.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced development or emergency response environments.
Leadership and training ability to upskill staff, onboard new partners, and implement consistent compliance practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Real Estate, Finance, Social Work, or a related field, OR equivalent professional experience in affordable housing, property management, or community development.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Real Estate Development, or MBA with coursework or experience in housing finance and community development.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Urban Planning
Real Estate Development
Public Administration
Finance / Accounting
Social Work / Human Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressively responsible experience in affordable housing development, compliance, asset management, program administration, or property management.

Preferred:

5+ years of direct experience with LIHTC projects, HUD or HOME programs, and multifaceted affordable housing financing structures; experience working with municipal housing departments, nonprofit housing developers, or community development financial institutions (CDFIs) is highly desirable.