Arlington Housing Corporation (AHC), founded in 1975, is a community based non-profit organization, dedicated to improving the quality of community life by providing housing opportunities for low-and moderate-income families, individuals, and senior citizens.

AHC has developed numerous programs to address a full spectrum of housing needs, including single-family home repairs, single family renovation and new construction for first-time homebuyers; purchase assistance and counseling; and development of affordable rental housing -- all for low- and moderate-income persons. AHC also offers a variety of educational activities and social services to the residents of its rental properties.

The budget is about $1.6 million.

The current Executive Director, who has been in the position for 20 years, is leaving on her own volition to pursue a career in another field.

For additional information about AHC, please see page 8.

The Corporation has adopted a new strategic plan for the short and long term operation of the company. The new Executive Director should be prepared to implement the strategic plan. This is an opportunity to start new businesses in geographic areas outside Arlington County. The new strategic plan is also a critical issue. (See Critical Issues below.)

AHC is at the forefront of public housing. Its efforts have been recognized at local, state, and national levels. AHC has an excellent reputation. Banks want to do business with AHC.

AHC is financially secure.

Wide range of activities in affordable housing, education and social services. There is a mix of doing real estate, program and resource development as well as advocacy and leading AHC to being more self sufficient.

This is an opportunity for someone to think globally, and help AHC's Board set policy and to guide the Board.

Property management is part of the dynamic real estate market.

This is an opportunity to be in a needed cause, helping people, but not necessarily in the inner city.

There is a good staff. The organization is run professionally, and there is a strong, dedicated, cohesive and enthusiastic Board.

In the near future AHC expects to expand its geographic focus well beyond the boundaries of Arlington County, Virginia. AHC wants to expand its real estate development, with the management fees and profits associated with property management. AHC wants to rely less on Arlington County and AHC's fund-raising events. This is also an attraction.

AHC expects to seriously consider starting for-profit ventures to diversify its funding base.

The public's support for affordable housing may not be as strong now as in past times.

Reports To: Board of Directors (18), of whom five are members of the executive committee. The Executive Director is the chief administrator for AHC.

Basic Function: Falls into six categories: Organizational Support; Corporate Policy Development and Program Planning; Community Representation/Advocacy; Resource Development; Program Administration; and, Office Management. Leads a 19 person staff, through two direct reports (deputy director and director of community relations) and 23 boards and committees of 130 volunteers.

Be AHC advocate with various funding organizations.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Organizational Support:

Provide for effective participation of volunteers in AHC operations:

• Board of Directors and Executive Committee:

• Staff the membership and Board nominating committees to identify candidates to serve on the Board and as officers of the corporation.

• Prepare agendas for Board and executive committee meetings.

• Conduct business in conformance with Articles, By-laws, and other legal requirements.

• Volunteer Committees:

• With Board Affairs Committee, organize committee structure.

• Recruit volunteers to serve on AHC Committees (now 6) and affiliate boards (now 11).

• Provide for training of all new Board and committee members.

2. Corporate Policy Development and Program Planning:

Provide for and maintain an effective corporate planning process:

• Policy Development:

• Identify policy issues, generate recommendations for Board action, document decisions.

• Corporate Planning:

• Organize annual planning process -- set planning agenda; develop planning recommendations based on current assessments of needs, market conditions, and available resources; prepare reports and plans reflecting Board decisions.

• Budget Preparation and Recommendations:

• Oversee preparation of annual budgets, ensuring conformance with Board planning decisions.

• Program Evaluation:

• With Board and staff, develop goals, standards and other criteria for evaluation.

• Periodically carry out evaluations, reporting results to AHC Board.

3.Community Representation/Advocacy:

Provide for AHC's participation in community debates regarding housing issues:

• Serve directly as AHC representative in state and local housing coalitions, public hearing, community meetings and other arenas.

• Recruit volunteers to represent AHC on community boards and committees.

• With the Public Education Committee, develop positions on public policies and generate educational materials on housing needs.

• Provide information and testimony to volunteers representing AHC.

4. Resource Development:

Identify and secure financial and other resources needed to achieve program goals.

• Government Funding:

• Oversee preparation of applications for major, continuing grants.

• Maintain contact and dialogue with administrators of government programs. Identify potential changes in fund availability or eligibility factors. Maintain AHC program eligibility for funding.

• Community Fundraising:

• Supervise Director of Community Relations in identifying and expanding community sources of financial support for AHC programs.

5. Program Administration:

Oversee, guide, and evaluate all ongoing AHC programs:

• Hire (or supervise hiring of) all AHC employees, review performance evaluations of all employees, work with Personnel Committee to monitor personnel policies, recommending revisions as necessary.

• Supervise Deputy Director's work with program staff to plan and carry out Single Family, Multifamily Development, and Multifamily Property Management Programs:

• Oversee staff program planning and goal setting, ensuring conformance with Board approved plans.

• Monitor progress toward goals, conformance with legal and funding regulations..

• Approve program expenditures in conformance with the AHC budget.

• Provide general program guidance and problem solving.

• Act directly to facilitate program implementation or resolve problems requiring special attention.

6.Office Management:

Ensure that office support systems adequately support program needs:

• Supervise Deputy Director's work with clerical and administrative staff to carry out a variety of support functions:

• Accounting, bookkeeping, reporting, records and information management, procurement, and secretarial services.

• Approve expenditures in conformance with the AHC budget.

• Institute office procedures to facilitate efficient and professional office operations.

Help AHC focus, take care of business at hand, and take AHC into the 21st Century. Take AHC to where it is less dependent on Arlington County, and grow into a combination of not-for-profit and for-profit activities as opportunities arise..

Using the strategic plan, look ahead and help pull together a vision for AHC. This is more critical than housing experience.

Commence implementation of the strategic plan.

• A broad perspective on the business AHC is in: development, property management, social services, advocacy, housing and finance. Affiliations and contacts in not-for-profit housing world would be an added plus.

• A strong personal commitment and belief in affordable housing, with the basic belief that everyone has the right to decent, quality housing.

• Instincts for good real estate projects. The ability to move quickly on arranging financing.

• The ability to create good personal relations with the upper echelons of Arlington County government, or be able to quickly establish these relations. (If the name change is approved in October 1998, and the geographic area expands, these connections will diminish in importance.)

• A business mind to make AHC more competitive with for-profit real estate companies.

• High initiative.

• Leadership qualities that people will follow.

• Follow-through.

• A good ability to listen.

• Enthusiasm for what s/he is doing.

• Experience getting through red tape and regulations.

• Experience working with the corporate community, and can put that to use for AHC to continue or improve events such as "Taste of Arlington", volley ball tournament, and silent auction.

• Forceful with drive, assured. Knows where s/he is going. Expect would be a pressure

  worker. Expect would be able to stimulate others. Should have an ambition which is definitely stimulating and persevering. The Executive Director needs to be persistent in a gentle way. AHC is a people oriented operation.

• An innovative decision maker, reaching out to funders and industries when something impinges on the rights or values of AHC properties, or other housing issues close by. Sometimes need to use banks, even foreign ones, and other funders, sometimes local, state and federal governments to back the financing of projects to counter undesirable plans or events.

• Able to work with a diversified Board, one third each of housing advocates, real estate professionals and residents/clients of Arlington Housing Corporation clients, respectively.

• Aware of where income is coming from, and will those sources continue to support AHC type organizations.

• Comfortable talking to CEOs, County representatives, funders, community residents, and AHC residents.

• Able to implement changes when there is resistance, but also be compassionate to comfort staff directors and challenge them at the same time.

• Aware that "times are changing" in the non-profit, low income housing arena, and how to deal with those changes.

• Detail oriented, or be able to delegate details.

• Entrepreneurial.

• A risk taker.

• Able to take complex issues and simplify them.

• Politically savvy.

The Home Improvement Program (HIP) provides technical and financial assistance to low- income homeowners to help make essential home repairs. The Barrier Removal Programs help adapt homes to meet the needs of their physically disabled owners. AHC=s Moderate Income Home Ownership Program renovates dilapidated houses to remove neighborhood blight and to create home ownership opportunities, or first time home buyers.

The Moderate Income Purchase Assistance Program provides down payment and closing costs assistance to other first time home buyers. During 1997 AHC became a HUD approved housing counseling agency; as such, AHC works with government agencies, lenders and other non-profits to prepare potential buyers for the responsibilities of home ownership.

AHC=s multifamily programs now provide affordable rental opportunities for nearly 1700 household in Arlington, County. AHC directly oversees the operation of 1058 of these units at 13 sites scattered throughout the county. With for-profit partners, AHC augments its oversight of multifamily properties with a growing program of onsite resident services: English classes, computer learning centers, after-school tutoring and recreation for children and youth.

1998 Fannie Mae has just notified AHC that it is among 20 finalists for 10 national Sustained Excellence Awards which will provide each awardee with a three year grant of $150,000 and a socially motivated investment of $250,000.

1997 Enterprise Foundation-Metropolitan Life Foundation National Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing.

1996 Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (Metropolitan Washington) Non-profit Developer of the Year.

1991 Tenants of Arlington County; Housing Provider of the Year.

1989 First recipient of the commonwealth of Virginia=s Housing Achievement Award.