Housing and Community Development Planner I

SALARY: Hire rate: $28.76/hour; Working rate (after 9 months): $31.23/hour

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT: Full Time

ISSUE DATE: 03/01/24

THE FINAL DATE TO FILE APPLICATIONS: 03/24/24

DATE THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM POSTING: 03/25/24

RESIDENCY WAIVED

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(a) Graduation from, or current enrollment with an understanding that the degree must be obtained within 3 months of
appointment in, a master’s degree program at a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in
planning, public administration, public policy, community development, real estate, landscape architecture, sociology, economics,
business, geography, or closely related field; OR

(b) Graduation from, or current enrollment with an understanding that the degree must be obtained within 3 months of
appointment in, a bachelor’s degree program at a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in
planning, public administration, public policy, community development, real estate, landscape architecture, sociology, economics,
business, geography, or closely related field AND 1 year of full-time paid (or the equivalent part-time and/or volunteer)
experience working for municipal governments, community organizations, regional/state entities, or businesses to address
community planning issues such as housing, infrastructure, public facilities, community development, comprehensive planning, or
transportation; OR

(c) Any equivalent combination of training and experience equal to or greater than that defined in (a) and (b) above.

Tompkins County is committed to equity and inclusion. We encourage those with similar values to apply.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

This position is responsible for helping to implement the Tompkins County Housing Strategy and related policies while tracking
progress towards addressing housing challenges and community development needs within Tompkins County. The incumbent of
this position participates in preparing detailed planning reports, conducting planning studies, proposing policies, plans and
projects, administering grant funding, and identifying the probable impacts to the development of the county that will result from
proposals. This is an entry-level position focused on housing and community development issues; however, the Housing and
Community Development Planner I is also responsible for participating with teams on complex studies that require the
coordination of efforts by other members of the department. The position may be assigned as needed to specialty program areas

within the department, including land use, housing, tourism, energy, community development, sustainability, rural development,
water resources, land conservation, or the environment. The position helps to identify and lead pursuit of relevant grant-funding
and grant-making opportunities to further housing and community development goals in Tompkins County and manages some
grant projects and programs. The incumbent is also responsible for providing professional assistance to boards and committees
Work is performed under the general supervision of senior professional staff with allowances for a considerable degree of
independent judgment and autonomy in executing assigned tasks. Supervision is not a responsibility of this title. The incumbent
will perform all related duties as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Assists in efforts to address housing and community development needs through such programs as the locally funded

• Provides guidance and support to the County and wider community in methods to address community development and

• Helps identify and administer grant-making and grant-seeking activities to support County planning-related goals and

• Helps develop and manage County planning-related programs focused on housing and community development;
• Reviews draft laws, policy proposals, regulations, and funding opportunities from New York State, as well as federal and

local governments and provides guidance and support to the County and wider community regarding the housing and
community development implications from those proposals;

• Assists in developing complex analytical reports and planning studies related to housing, community development, and

• Develops recommendations regarding proposed policies, plans and projects;
• Prepares minutes and agendas, and performs other tasks in support of advisory boards and committees;
• Makes formal and informal presentations to inform and advise citizen advisory boards, legislative bodies, and public

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Ability to demonstrate initiative as a self-starter exercising autonomy and critical thinking to provide informed

• Good written and verbal communication skills to work effectively with County staff, community members, technical

• Ability to build good working relationships with others to coordinate efforts and move actions forward;
• Good computer skills, including use of spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, and word processing software, and

• Understanding of project management skills, strong organizational abilities, and outstanding attention to detail.
• Strong background in planning-related research methods and techniques, working knowledge of current data collection,

• Ability to travel, as required to fulfill the demands of the position in Tompkins County; and
• The employee’s physical and mental condition shall be commensurate with the demands of the position, either with or

without reasonable accommodations.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS:

The employee must be able to sit for extended periods of time within a standard eight-hour work day. Other types of physical
effort are minimal with the exception of the occasional requirement to lift boxes of office supplies and paper goods up to twenty
pounds. The incumbent’s visual acuity must be sufficient to see and accurately work with information on a computer screen. The
employee’s hearing must be sufficiently acute to hear, understand and carry out verbal instructions. The employee must have the
physical ability to manipulate a computer keyboard and other types of office equipment. These fine motor skills include adequate
hand/eye coordination to perform the essential functions of this job. Environmental factors include the ability to work closely and
cooperatively in close physical proximity with others. Incumbent may occasionally be required to work alone. Almost all work is
performed indoors in a temperature controlled environment, so excessive heat, cold, humidity, noise, etc., are not factors that are
significant to this job. There may be minimal exposure to disagreeable conditions. The employee may at times be asked to drive to
remote locations, or otherwise demonstrate the ability to meet the limited transportation requirements of this job. If an individual
has limitations, the employee has the right to request reasonable accommodations in accordance with the ADA and as amended.

Originally Created 3/2022

H39

FURTHER INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

Falsification of any part of the "Application for Employment" will result in disqualification.

Accepted candidates will be notified when and where to appear for the examination. If you do not receive your notice to appear at least three days before the
date of the written examination, call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources at 274-5526. If an application is disapproved, due notice will be
sent. This department does not make formal acknowledgment of the receipt of an application or take responsibility for non-delivery or postal delay.

Applicants must answer every question on the application form and make sure that the application is complete in all respects. Incomplete applications will
be disapproved.

ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS OR DISABLED VETERANS desiring to claim additional credit will request the Veterans Credits
application form, at any time between the date of application for examination(s) and the date of the establishment of the resulting eligible list. You must
meet the requirements set by NYS for these credits and they may be used only once. YOU MAY NOT CLAIM ADDITIONAL CREDITS AFTER THE
ELIGIBLE LIST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. IT IS THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REQUEST THE VETERANS CREDIT
APPLICATION FORMS AND TO SUBMIT THESE FORMS AND ANY SUPPORTING PAPERWORK BEFORE THE ELIGIBLE LIST IS
ESTABLISHED.
Tompkins County's written examinations are prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23-2 of
Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations, which deal with the rating and review of the examinations
apply.

The duration of the eligible lists may be fixed for a minimum of one and a maximum of four years and may be extended beyond four years if there has been
a restriction against the filling of vacancies in that title.
The candidates must complete a separate "Application for Employment" for each open-competitive and/or promotional examination that the candidate is
eligible to take.

All experience required meeting the acceptable training and experience is full-time experience. (Part-time experience will be credited on a prorated basis).

Appointment from an eligible list must be made from the top three candidates willing to accept the appointment.

Tompkins County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As part of its efforts to provide employment opportunities to the physically handicapped, Tompkins
County Civil Service has adopted a rule permitting the employment of qualified physically handicapped persons without competitive examination (pursuant
to Section 55 of Civil Service Law). If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position and wish to know more about this rule, please contact the
Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Office.

Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, and solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with Typewriter Keyboards,
Spell Checkers, Personal Digital Assistants, Address Books, Language Translators, Dictionaries or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring
books or other reference materials.

CROSS-FILING - APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONS ARE
SCHEDULED ON THE SAME DATE: When applying for examinations across multiple jurisdictions - all of which are scheduled on the same day - you
must submit a Tompkins County Cross-Filing Form. This form must be submitted no later than 4:30 PM on the final filing date of the examination. On this
form, list each examination that you are taking and then tell us where you would like to sit. The purpose is to ensure that all of the test materials for the
various examinations that you are taking will be available in one location. If you do not provide the cross-filing form to us by the final filing date, we cannot
ensure that we can accommodate your desire to cross-file. If any of the examinations are State level examinations, you must sit at the State test center. You
will still need to complete the Tompkins County cross-filing form. If sitting at the State site, the State will notify you of when and where to report for your
examination(s) and you should bring all admittance letters to the State site. If you are not taking a State examination, bring all admittance letters to your
chosen testing site. If you have any question please call Tompkins County Department of Human Resources Department (607) 274-5526. The Cross File
form is located at http://www.tompkins-co.org/personnel/CivilSrvForms/index.html

FOR RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION AND HANDICAPPED PERSONS: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on
your application.

ALL CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT FOR POSITIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BOCES GOVERNED BY TOMPKINS COUNTY
CIVIL SERVICE MAY HAVE THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL REQUIREMENT. PER CHAPTER 180 OF THE LAWS OF 2000, AND BY
REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, TO BE EMPLOYED IN A POSITION DESIGNATED BY A SCHOOL
DISTRICT OR BOCES AS INVOLVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH STUDENTS, A CLEARANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT FROM THE
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED.
In conformance with Section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duties shall be entitled to receive
an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are
qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duties in this municipality, please inform this
office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the
application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has
been established.⒝

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Applicants may be required to undergo a State and national criminal history background investigation, which will
include a fingerprint check, to determine suitability for appointment. Failure to meet the standards for the background investigation may result in
disqualification.

TOMPKINS COUNTY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT, 125 EAST COURT STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850