BASTA TENANT OUTREACH SPECIALIST

About BASTA 

BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) is a project housed in Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) dedicated to helping Austin renters work alongside their neighbors to improve conditions in their homes and communities. We envision a future where the collective action of Austin renters has brought healthy and affordable housing to all. 

Position Description: 

The Tenant Outreach Specialist will advance BASTA’s commitment to building tenant power through forming, supporting and sustaining tenants associations at multifamily properties in Austin. The successful candidate will be an attentive, empathetic relationship builder, have prior experience with community organizing or outreach, possess strong problem solving skills, and have solid strategic instincts. 

Responsibilities: 

• Visit substandard properties to engage and educate Austin renters about their right to live in healthy and safe homes. 

• Form, support and sustain multiple tenants associations to address collective concerns and issues. 

• Ensure tenants associations have a solid base by conducting regular outreach to tenants at properties, including canvassing, flyering, calls and texts. 

• Coordinate and facilitate meetings and activities with property residents using a consensus-oriented approach and handle all activity and meeting logistics. 

• Develop the leadership skills of tenants association members, including outreach, meeting facilitation, public speaking, and negotiation skills. 

• Plan, execute and win campaigns that advance tenant dignity and get tangible results using a variety of tactics. 

• Strategize with tenants associations on ways to address their concerns, such as collective repair requests, meeting with property managers, reporting substandard conditions to code enforcement, direct actions, and media events. 

• Educate Austin renters on tenants rights and the connection between housing deficiencies and health, through the development of accessible materials and the use of popular education techniques. 

• Document outreach activities and compile data to track outcomes. 

• All other duties assigned. 

Required Qualifications:  

• Commitment to social, economic, racial and language justice; 

• Previous outreach, community engagement, or grassroots organizing experience; 

• Excellent communication skills in English and Spanish, including the ability to persuade others; 

• Strong interpersonal and consensus-building skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of people, including residents, property managers and owners, community partners, and decision makers;  

• Ability to problem solve and think strategically; 

• Ability to effectively multi-task, work well with others under pressure, and creatively adapt as needed; 

• Strong organizational skills; 

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; 

• Ability to work evenings and weekends; and 

• Vehicle and driver’s license. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Proficiency in additional languages often spoken or used by tenants in Austin (ie., Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto, Burmese, ASL); 

• Experience with planning and leading participatory meetings, direct actions, and media events; 

• Knowledge of housing issues and/or landlord-tenant law; 

• Experience with working in multilingual spaces; 

• Proficiency with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;  

• Experience designing effective flyers and print materials with knowledge of Canva a plus; and 

• Familiarity with Salesforce, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl.