Senior Community Manager (Kiku Crossing)

Kiku Crossing is an affordable senior community in San Mateo, and MidPen Housing has been operating properties like it across Northern California since 1970. The organization manages over 130 communities and carries a genuine reputation in the affordable housing sector. That context matters here because this role isn't just property management. You're running a site that houses seniors who often have limited options elsewhere, and that shapes how everything from lease renewals to maintenance coordination actually feels day to day.

The Senior Community Manager oversees all site operations: rent collection, HUD compliance, leasing, certifications, inspections, vendor management, and budgeting. You'll supervise on-site staff, handle tenant relations, and carry responsibility for the physical and fiscal condition of the property. MidPen uses Traffic Light Reports as an operational tool, so you'll be expected to understand and act on those, not just file them. Yardi is the platform, and you'll need to be comfortable in it for reporting and documentation.

The compliance piece is real and ongoing. Affordable housing at the HUD level means annual certifications, income verifications, and regulatory reporting that doesn't pause for vacations or short-staffed weeks. If you've worked in market-rate management only, that paperwork volume may be an adjustment. The ARM or COS certification is preferred for a reason: the income qualification and subsidy rules have enough specificity that experience with them genuinely shortens the learning curve.

Working with seniors adds another layer. Residents may have health challenges, fixed incomes, and strong attachments to their homes. Eviction proceedings and lease violations require care and professionalism that go beyond the procedural. You'll also be the point of contact when something goes wrong after hours. That's true at most communities, and it's worth naming plainly.

One thing that separates strong candidates in affordable senior housing: the ability to hold regulatory compliance and human judgment at the same time. The rules are strict, but the people applying them matter. Managers who treat certifications as purely clerical tend to miss things that affect residents' housing stability. The ones who stay tend to understand why the process exists.

An on-site housing option is available, which is worth noting if proximity to the property matters to you.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required
• At least two years of continuous property management experience, preferably in affordable housing (or four or more years as a general manager in an unrelated field)
• Working knowledge of HUD, ADA, and DFEH regulations
• ARM or COS certification preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Yardi
• Valid Real Estate license and a reliable, insured vehicle
• Strong written and verbal communication; sound judgment under pressure

Pay runs $30.12 to $33.88 per hour based on experience, and MidPen carries a full benefits package including health, dental, vision, 403(b) retirement, paid parental leave, and an employee education reimbursement program.