Community Manager (Hillsdale Townhouses, Emerald Hill)

MidPen Housing has operated affordable communities across Northern California since 1970, and the work they do at properties like Hillsdale Townhouses and Emerald Hill in San Jose is a clear example of what mission-driven property management looks like in practice. This Community Manager role sits at the intersection of fiscal operations, regulatory compliance, and genuine resident care. It's not a passive position. You're running the day-to-day of one or more affordable housing properties, leading a small team, and reporting directly to the Property Manager.

Affordable housing management draws on a specific skill set that market-rate experience only partially prepares you for. You'll need to come in with a working knowledge of HUD regulations, TCAC compliance, and income certification procedures. Fair Housing fluency is required from day one, and MidPen will ask you to pass an FHA test within your first 60 days. If you don't yet hold a Tax Credit Specialist (TCS) or Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS) designation, MidPen will cover the cost of obtaining one within your first six months. That's a meaningful investment in your professional development, and it signals how seriously they take compliance as a core competency.

The fiscal side of this role is real and hands-on. You'll manage rent collection, security deposit accounting, delinquent accounts, and bank deposits. Keeping occupancy tight and delinquency low at an affordable property requires a different kind of discipline than you'd find at a Class A lease-up. Residents here often face financial and personal instability, and your team will work closely with MidPen's onsite Resident Services staff to connect people with support. That collaboration is built into the model, not an afterthought.

What separates strong candidates in this role from average ones isn't just compliance knowledge. It's the ability to hold staff accountable through coaching rather than just correction, and to build genuine relationships with residents and community partners without losing sight of the operational fundamentals. You're running the property and shaping the community at the same time. Both things matter equally here.

This role also builds skills that transfer broadly across affordable housing and beyond. Managing TCAC and HUD documentation makes you credible in any regulatory environment. Supervising staff through performance reviews and ongoing development sharpens leadership instincts you'll use at every level above this one. Community Managers at organizations like MidPen often progress into Portfolio Manager or Regional Manager roles as they demonstrate their ability to manage compliance across multiple sites.

What You'll Bring

• At least three years of multi-family residential management experience, with a minimum of two years in affordable housing
• At least one year of supervisory experience
• TCS or COS certification, or the ability to obtain one within six months
• Working knowledge of Fair Housing law and HUD or TCAC regulatory requirements
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and RealPage property management software
• An Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience

Pay runs from $25.63 to $28.82 per hour based on experience, and company-provided onsite housing is available. Benefits include health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan, paid parental leave, education reimbursement, and an EAP program, among others.