MBTA Communities Engagement Manager

Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) is the non-profit umbrella organization for affordable housing and community development activities in Massachusetts with a diverse, active membership of more than 8,000 people.

At the core of CHAPA’s work, we believe that every person in Massachusetts should have a safe, healthy, and affordable place to call home. We serve as conveners across sectors to advance equitable housing policy and programs. Much of our work happens collaboratively through local coalition building, committee meetings, and legislative advocacy during which gathering a range of voices at the table is critical.

Join a passionate, vibrant team making a difference in Massachusetts! To learn more about CHAPA’s impact, please visit www.chapa.org.

CHAPA and the MBTA Communities Act:

“MBTA Communities” refers to Section 3A of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A, as strongly advocated for by CHAPA and passed by the Massachusetts state legislature in 2021. It requires cities and towns (outside of Boston) that are served by the MBTA to adopt zoning that allows multi-family housing. 

Through a contract with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, CHAPA has been successfully providing technical assistance to 65 “MBTA Communities” since 2023, including one-on-one support and group/peer meetings about designing community engagement and outreach strategies, presenting at community meetings, developing and sharing templates and customized messaging, strategizing for Town Meeting, and working with the press. With funding from the Lynch Foundation, CHAPA is now able to hire a second person to broaden our efforts in helping communities zone for the housing we need.

Key Job Responsibilities:

The MBTA Communities Engagement Manager will work closely with CHAPA’s current MBTA Communities Engagement Manager to run peer-to-peer learning cohorts, provide monthly learning sessions, and offer direct support to communities.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Facilitate monthly learning sessions and six to eight monthly cohort meetings
• Prepare materials and templates for presentations, fact sheets and FAQs, as well as customized messaging and talking points
• Present at community meetings, both in person and virtually
• Coordinate with other TA providers in the state
• Act as a connector among all interested parties
• Develop an expertise in the MBTA Communities law and serve as the “go to” person for questions from the public

Qualifications:

• 5-7 years’ experience
• Familiarity with the MBTA Communities Act, and a strong understanding of zoning regulations in general, is a must!
• Experience building coalitions and developing a shared vision among a range of interests.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including meeting facilitation.
• Experience working with people of diverse social and economic backgrounds.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends and evenings as needed.
•  Sensitivity to the needs of people of low incomes and avid dedication to
  increasing affordable housing access and opportunities in Massachusetts.

Salary:
The salary range is $75-$85,000, based on experience. CHAPA also provides a generous package of benefits including vacation and sick time, health insurance, short-term disability insurance, life insurance, and retirement benefits.