To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Heather Ruiz, Human Resources Director
Prepared By: Gabrielle Petersen, Management Analyst II
TITLE:
Title
Classification Plan and Salary Range for Senior Housing Specialist in the Community Development Department
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving the classification specification and salary range for Senior Housing Specialist.
Body
DISCUSSION:
As a part of the Budget approval and Citywide Staffing Plan for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, City Council approved the addition of an allocation for Senior Housing Specialist. The Senior Housing Specialist allocation was added to maintain a complete caseload for rental assistance programs, support initiatives for formal landlord recruitment and the expansion of community partnerships, as well as to provide back-up to the Supervisor in the case of their absence.
Thus, as previously approved by City Council, the Citywide Staffing Plan identifies 1.00 position for the Senior Housing Specialist classification and 5.00 positions for the Housing Specialist classification. This item recommends approval of the classification specification and salary range for the Senior Housing Specialist position with no changes to the number of positions allocated in the Citywide Staffing Plan. However, the Decision Packet accompanying the budget referenced a plan for City staff to run a promotional recruitment for this newly created Senior House Specialist position, and then delete a vacant Housing Specialist position resulting from the promotion. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, Housing received additional funding making the deletion of the vacant position not necessary. The budgeted staffing plan accurately reflects the addition of this position.
The Community Development Department requested Human Resources conduct a study to review the needs of the Department regarding the Housing classifications and necessary programmatic support. Human Resources and the Housing Division worked together to determine the appropriate classification through an analysis of the external market and comparison of the existing classification plan.
The Human Resources Department interviewed staff in the Housing Division to determine the appropriate classification that would align with the technical needs of the division. The discussions indicated that they require a variety of technical and lead work including: providing support to the division by planning, prioritizing and reviewing the work of staff assigned in housing activities including eligibility, rent calculations, landlord/tenant concerns, and overall housing program implementation; developing training and modifications to processes to correct deficiencies and improve systems; preparing reports and other analytical documents to ensure quality; maintaining the security of confidential and sensitive City information; and acting in support of staff in the Supervisor’s absence.
Human Resources conducted a salary survey which indicated that very few survey cities possess comparable class specifications at a lead level, as most of the survey cities do not administer the housing authorities in their communities. They are administered by the County, or a separate entity. Given the complexity and importance of this role to the City’s Housing operation, as indicated in the discussions with the Community Development Department, the Human Resources Department recommends that the City adopt the new classification specification of Senior Housing Specialist.
The recommended classification of Senior Housing Specialist is a technical level class, providing lead support to the Housing Division and the public. The Senior Housing Specialist will deliver high quality, customer focused program support services, and will play a vital role in the execution of rental assistance programs and coordination of division activities.
In order to align the Senior Housing Specialist with internal salary equity based on the scope of the role and duties, it is recommended to place the classification in the Salary Range of Step 1 - $72,251 to Step 5 - $87,267. Human Resources selected this range as it creates a roughly 10% differential between the Housing Specialist and Senior Housing Specialist positions.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No additional funding is required beyond that already allocated and approved in the
Community Development Department budget.
CEQA:
The Human Resources Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
EX A - Classification Specification - Senior Housing Specialist
NOTIFICATION:
Bargaining Unit, City Attorney’s Office and City Manager’s Office