Assistant Community Manager - Affordable Housing

It's Thursday afternoon. A tenant's recertification deadline is two weeks out, their income documentation is incomplete, and your delinquency report shows three units past the grace period. That's the operational rhythm of affordable housing management, and this role sits right in the middle of it.

The Role at Fairstead

Fairstead owns and manages more than 30,000 apartments across 28 states, and their Richmond property needs an Assistant Community Manager who understands the compliance and financial rigor that affordable housing demands. This position supports the Property Manager across the full operational scope: HUD 4350.3 compliance, LIHTC reviews, REAC preparation, annual and interim recertifications, and EHS violation clearance. When Management and Occupancy Reviews or investor site visits come around, this role carries real preparation responsibility.

On the financial side, you'll track arrears daily, ensure rents are collected, posted, and deposited, and create purchase orders in Yardi. Delinquency follow-up runs through this role, and you'll work alongside Fairstead's in-house legal team to monitor payment status and coordinate evictions when lease intervention strategies don't resolve the issue. Occupancy is maintained through an active lease renewal program, and resident retention depends on how quickly and professionally you respond to questions, service requests, and complaints.

Day-to-day, you'll also keep maintenance staff informed about move-ins, move-outs, and emergencies, and you'll confirm that service requests are completed on schedule. Phone calls, emails, and messages get answered within a few hours, never more than 24.

What You Bring

• At least two years of experience in affordable housing leasing or property management
• Working knowledge of EIV, Yardi, and RealPage
• Familiarity with the local Richmond residential market
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to pick up new property management platforms quickly

Candidates who stand out in affordable housing ops tend to be the ones who already know the difference between a routine recertification and an interim triggered by a qualifying event. HUD compliance has a learning curve, but EIV experience and a working understanding of income verification requirements separate people who can hit the ground running from those who need six months to find their footing.

Fairstead's approach to affordable housing includes tech adoption and data-driven operations, so comfort with systems matters here beyond just knowing how to navigate Yardi. The company functions as an integrated owner, operator, and developer, which means the assistant manager at the property level connects directly to a broader platform that includes construction and development. For the right candidate, that's real career runway toward a full Property Manager role and eventually into regional or compliance-focused positions.