Housing Rehabilitation Specialist

Affordable Housing is a critical need in today’s society. One way to help support this effort is to sustain some of the housing stock we currently have. If you are a purpose driven individual who would like to join a progressive organization and play a vital role in our Home Rehabilitation Program with our Planning and Community Development Department, please apply today!

This position coordinates and facilitates housing rehabilitation, revitalization, and construction projects for the Home Rehabilitation Program. Provides program information and assistance to property owners in determining housing rehabilitation needs, estimating costs, preparing bid documents, selecting contractors, and monitoring construction. Performs inspections as required for the Home Rehabilitation Program and other housing programs as assigned. 

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

This position will start at Step 1 ($37.75/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $37.75 - $49.24. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures. 

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

 

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Fri. 5/1/26 4:30 PM Pacific Time 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Provides information on the objectives and requirements of the Home Rehabilitation Program to residents, property owners, contractors, City officials and others.
2. Inspects properties and advises owners on housing rehabilitation needs and priorities within the scope of the program.
3. Prepares scope of work and cost estimates for single family and multi-family projects. Writes detailed construction specifications, draws and redesigns floor plans and additions. Works closely with the Housing Program Specialist, property owners, architects, engineers, building officials and contractors. Promotes contractor retention and development.
4. Assists property owners in selecting acceptable contractors; recruits contractors from diverse and under-represented groups.
5. Obtains bids from contractors and prepares construction contracts for property owners.
6. Completes environmental review checklist and lead based paint evaluations.
7. Inspects rehabilitation work and authorizes payments. Approves change orders, arbitrates disagreements between property owners and contractors, and obtains lien waivers prior to final payment.
8. Conducts follow-up inspections of completed work.
9. Prepares detailed forms and reports; writes letters to property owners and contractors.
10. Works closely with the Housing and Services Program Manager and other departmental staff in evaluating the program, determining operational objectives and meeting overall program goals.
11. Participates in presentations to the Loan Review Board.
12. Performs inspections as needed for compliance with applicable program requirements; prepares and maintains records of inspections and related documentation.

ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

1. Performs other related work of a similar nature and level.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is shared between an office environment, working at a computer workstation, and fieldwork, making home visits and visits to project sites where City-financed rehabilitation work is conducted. May include occasional exposure to outdoor elements in all weather conditions. Access to under-floor areas and attic spaces require bending, kneeling and crawling. Lighting may be limited, movement may be restricted, loud noises may be present. Sites may be wet and slippery. Entering and exiting a vehicle may be required many times each day. May require occasional travel. 

Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job including:

• communicate accurate information and ideas with others
• operate a computer and other office machinery
• mobility necessary to travel between work sites and safely move about construction sites, climb, and stand, sit, or bend in awkward positions
• transport objects up to forty (40) pounds.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Two years of experience in housing rehabilitation, building inspection, building construction, general contracting, construction management or repair/weatherization programs including responsibility for preparation of plans, specifications and cost estimates.   

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check and child and adult abuse records check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire. 
• Valid Washington State Driver's License. To establish a good driving record, a three year driving record abstract must be submitted prior to hire.

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**
 
Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City’s commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Application Review Process:

1. Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around May 6, 2026. 
2. Experience and Training Rating: Applicants that meet minimum qualifications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Applicant status will be updated on or around May 12, 2026.  
3. The top six (6) scoring applicants from the Experience and Training Rating will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for May 28, 2026. Applicants must have a passing score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.
4. Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following Experience and Training Rating (40%) and Oral Board Interview (60%).

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently 1 full-time vacancy in the Planning and Community Development Department. This position is represented by a union.  

If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214. 

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40 ), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

 
Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment. 
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made. 
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied. 
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.