Leasing Specialist

Affordable housing leasing has its own rhythm. The waitlists are long, the compliance layer is real, and the residents you're serving often have limited options. That context matters. Avanath operates workforce and affordable communities, and this Leasing Specialist role at their San Rafael property reflects exactly that kind of work.

What You'll Actually Do

The core of this role is full-cycle leasing with a compliance overlay. You'll greet and qualify prospects, conduct tours, demonstrate units, and work toward closing, but at an affordable community, qualifying a prospect also means shepherding them through income certifications and application requirements that don't exist in conventional leasing. You'll track guest cards, maintain the availability report, and process applications in Yardi Voyager. Make-ready coordination is part of the job too. You'll inspect units ahead of move-in and flag anything that needs attention before handing over keys.

Resident retention is genuinely part of the accountability here, not an afterthought. You'll field calls and walk-ins, log service requests, follow up on repairs, and assist with lease renewals. At an affordable community, turnover is costly and often avoidable with consistent communication. You'll also support resident events and help maintain curb appeal, which sounds small but matters a lot for community culture and inspection readiness.

Compliance file maintenance sits under this role as well, directed by the compliance department and the property manager. If you've never worked LIHTC before, that piece will have a learning curve. If you have, you already know the file discipline required.

What You Bring

• At least two years of sales or customer relations experience
• Low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) experience is a genuine differentiator here, not just a nice-to-have
• Bilingual English and Spanish is strongly preferred given the San Rafael market
• Proficiency in Yardi Voyager
• Solid working knowledge of Word and Excel
• Availability for evenings and weekends as scheduling requires

A Few Things Worth Knowing

San Rafael sits in Marin County, which has some of the highest housing costs in California. Workforce housing in this market serves people who are genuinely stretched, and that context shapes resident interactions daily. The population you're leasing to may be navigating more stress than a typical Class A renter. Patience and real listening matter here more than a polished sales pitch.

Candidates who tend to do well in affordable leasing roles come in understanding that the job is part sales, part case management, and part community-building. The ones who struggle often treat it as purely transactional. If your strength is building trust over time and you're comfortable with the compliance side, this role tends to be a solid stepping stone toward a Leasing Manager or Community Manager position, particularly within a portfolio focused on affordable and workforce housing, which is a segment that continues to grow.