Job Title: The Equitable Access to Housing Fellowship

Reports To: Counsel

Group: Californians for Homeownership

Californians for Homeownership is a non-profit organization formed by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) to increase access to housing in California for families of all income levels, through impact litigation.  The Equitable Access to Housing Fellowship is a one-year fellowship for law school graduates interested in impact litigation, housed within Californians for Homeownership.

About Californians for Homeownership

California is experiencing a housing access and affordability crisis of historic proportions, affecting families at every economic level.  Middle-income families are forced to devote a large portion of their income to housing payments, leaving little money to pay for transportation, food, healthcare, and other necessities.  And low-income families too often find themselves unable to afford stable housing.

At the core of California’s housing crisis is a failure of supply.  For decades, California has been building less housing than is needed to satisfy its increasing population.  Today, California ranks 49th out of the 50 states in existing housing units per capita, and estimates say that it needs to build more than 3 million housing units to meet demand.  The need is especially dire for housing affordable to low-income families.

We hold California’s cities and counties accountable by suing to enforce housing and civil rights laws intended to increase the supply of housing and access to housing for families at all income levels.  Representative lawsuits include:

Californians for Homeownership v. City of Huntington Beach.  As part of its state planning obligations, the City of Huntington Beach identified a major commercial corridor for the development of a walkable community with multifamily housing and shops.  But when a developer proposed a mixed-income condominium project along that corridor, the City bowed to pressure from Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) groups and rejected the project.  We sued the City under the Housing Accountability Act, which requires cities to make land use decisions based on facts, not subjective judgments.  In late 2021, we won the lawsuit.

ADU Litigation. To address the housing crisis, California needs to build homes quicker and at a lower cost than traditional approaches allow. Starting in 2016, the California Legislature overhauled state law to give homeowners broad rights to develop accessory dwelling units (ADUs), often called “in-law units” or “granny flats.” ADUs are a key element of California’s strategy for addressing the state’s housing crisis because they are less expensive to build and face less opposition from neighbors than traditional multifamily housing. But the elected officials of some cities have resisted these reforms. We are suing the City of Coronado to enforce state ADU law, and recently settled a similar lawsuit against the City of Whittier.

Housing Element Litigation.  California is in the midst of a statewide housing planning process, which requires cities and counties to plan for enough housing to accommodate regional housing needs.  We are engaging in the public comment process and preparing for litigation against cities that do not comply with their legal obligations as part of this process.  We expect to file several of these lawsuits in 2022.

Intervention in CEQA Lawsuits.  One of the biggest drivers of the housing crisis is the abuse of environmental laws such as CEQA by anti-development groups and individuals who have no interest in furthering legitimate environmental interests.  These plaintiffs misuse environmental laws to fight environmentally advantageous forms of development, such as infill housing development.  We have developed a practice of seeking to intervene in these lawsuits in support of legitimate housing and environmental goals.  For example, we intervened in a CEQA lawsuit over the approval of a mixed-income residential project that would replace a surface parking lot in a high-opportunity coastal city, which was challenged by a neighboring property owner.

The Equitable Access to Housing Fellowship

The Equitable Access to Housing Fellowship program allows one law school graduate each year to directly assist with the organization’s impact litigation work, with a particular focus on litigation that increases housing access for low-income families, communities of color, and other groups that face housing discrimination.  The Fellow will be afforded the opportunity to participate in a wide range of aspects of the organization’s impact litigation work, from case selection and pre-litigation demands to drafting briefs and making court appearances (as opportunities and bar admission status allow). 

The Fellow will also develop a long-term research project during the Fellowship, which will culminate in a white paper or other research report.  The research project will inform Californians for Homeownership’s activities going forward, giving the Fellow the opportunity to make a long-term impact on the organization’s work.

This is a one-year fellowship, to run from approximately September 2022 through September 2023, with an annual salary of $65,000.  Californians for Homeownership is a 501(c)(3) organization, and this position may be eligible for law school-based loan repayment or financial assistance programs.

Requirements:

• By the time of employment, must hold a J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• The Fellowship is intended for recent law school graduates, including attorneys that intend to defer their start at a law firm, attorneys with 2023-2024 clerkships, and attorneys looking to start a career in public interest law.
• The Fellow is expected to sit for the bar examination in July 2022 or before (California bar examination preferred).
• The Fellow will also be selected based on work and extracurricular experience, and commitment to addressing California’s affordable housing crisis.

For Consideration:

• Qualified applicants only please - submit a resume, unofficial law school transcript, and a statement of interest to [email protected].
  • The statement of interest should be 2-3 pages and should explain your interest in the position, your relevant background and experience, and how the Fellowship fits into your plans for your legal career.
  • Applications will be considered on a continuing basis, but priority consideration will be given to applicants who submit complete applications by April 11, 2022.

Benefits Offered:

Headquartered in sunny Los Angeles, C.A.R. offers:

• Business casual wear
• A health and wellness program including an on-site exercise room, lunch and learns with guest speakers, a FitBit® program, and collaborative working areas
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off, 401(k), Vitamin reimbursement, 11 paid holidays, and more

Leading the Way…^TM isn’t just a slogan at the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.).  As one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, C.A.R. provides members with tools to help complete transactions, information to keep them nimble in the marketplace and a strong clear voice on the government steps in Sacramento.  How do we do it?  We start by hiring friendly, talented people committed to working toward those common goals. 

C.A.R. staff stand by a set of core values that make us the best in the business.  Take a look for yourself and see what we are all about  www.car.org. 

C.A.R. and/or its subsidiaries and agents will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Sorry! Due to the heavy volume of resumes we receive, only candidates being considered will be contacted directly. We appreciate your interest in employment opportunities with the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.