Housing Court Liaison

JOB SCOPE:

The Postgraduate Center for Mental Health (PCMH) operates a portfolio of supportive and community residential programs serving New Yorkers living with mental illness. Our residential model is grounded in housing stability, harm reduction, and helping residents remain successfully housed. Legal action is a last resort, undertaken only after documented retention efforts have been exhausted. The Housing Court Liaison manages the tenancy legal process from initiation through resolution and serves as the primary point of coordination between program staff and the agency's attorneys. This role is responsible for ensuring that any case brought forward is legally sound, fully documented, and consistent with regulatory and organizational standards before it proceeds. The Liaison owns the compliance pipeline that precedes and accompanies any court action, and helps safeguard both residents' rights and the agency's legal standing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Review referred cases to verify that all required retention efforts, service-planning interventions, and supporting documentation are complete and properly recorded before a case is initiated.
• Initiate tenancy and housing court cases in coordination with the agency's legal counsel, preparing and organizing the documentation attorneys require.
• Serve as the central liaison between residential program staff, agency leadership, and outside counsel, tracking case status and communicating updates to all stakeholders.
• Coordinate court appearances, including scheduling, ensuring the appropriate staff and records are available, and attending proceedings as needed to support counsel.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready case files and a tracking system for all active and closed matters, including timelines, filings, and outcomes.
• Monitor compliance with OMH regulations, lease/occupancy agreement terms, fair housing law, and due-process requirements throughout the case lifecycle.
• Identify cases where alternatives to legal action (payment agreements, renewed engagement, transfer, or discharge planning) may be appropriate, and route them accordingly.
• Prepare periodic reporting on case volume, status, and outcomes for residential leadership.
• Partner with program directors and clinical staff to strengthen documentation practices and review cases.
• Initiate Behavioral Holdover, LIHTC Holdover and Non-Payments evictions.
• Initiate Smalls Claims cases, as needed, to recoup property damage costs.
• Maintain all files in accordance with agency and regulatory standards.
• Report crises, untoward incidents, and emergencies immediately to the clinical staff.
• Adhere to personnel and residential policies and procedures as outlined in the PCMH Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual and the Residential Policies and Procedures Manual.
• Performs other duties, consistent with the goals and objectives of the program, as assigned by the Vice President of Residential Operations or other Property Management supervisors.
• **This position requires some flexibility for occasional evening hours to pursue Small Claims court matters**
  
  
  

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree preferred, or an Associates Degree with a combination of relevant education and experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in housing, tenancy administration, legal support, case management, or a related field, preferably in supportive or affordable housing.
• Working knowledge of NYC housing court processes, landlord-tenant law, and/or fair housing requirements.
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage documentation and deadlines with a high degree of accuracy.
• Proficiency with case-tracking systems and standard office software.
• Familiarity with OMH-regulated residential programs and associated regulatory requirements.
• Prior experience working directly with attorneys or in a legal liaison capacity.
• Understanding of the supportive housing model and a commitment to housing stability and residents' rights.