With generous support from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is inviting applicants to help launch the Metro Housing Lab and Accelerator, a proving ground for housing innovations that will deliver units faster, cheaper, and more equitably with pilot projects in the design, finance, and construction disciplines of housing production.

Metro Housing Lab - Senior Fellow
The Senior Fellow will direct policy and projects that leverage innovation to create more affordable housing near LA Metro stations and stops. With support from a Junior Fellow and consultants, the fellow will:
• Direct technical and policy research on innovative methods to accelerate affordable housing through policy, programmatic, architectural, or financial means
• Build strategic relationships with potential Housing Lab partners
• Facilitate and evaluate pilot programs, including developing and advancing a Community Land Trust strategy
• Direct research on and build relationships with Community Based Development Organizations (CBDOs)
• Convene industry experts, academics, representatives from private, non-profit and government groups
• Support community engagement and outreach efforts

The selected candidate may also have responsibilities related to traditional project management of Joint Development projects, including: developer solicitation, community engagement, design review and financial analysis.

Ideal Candidate
Metro is seeking passionate self-starters with strong relationship-building expertise and a track record for solving hard civic challenges with creative, original solutions. The ideal candidate will possess a working knowledge of housing innovation, housing policy, design and technology, and concepts of urbanism relating to housing. Candidates should have experience conducting public outreach and consensus building including in communities of color and communities that have been historically disenfranchised. Strong communication skills are essential.

To be eligible, the candidate should hold a degree in architecture, urban planning, real estate development, government, public policy or similar field (Master’s degree preferred). At least 8 years of direct work experience in real estate, community development, economic development, urban planning or related field and at least 3 years in a management position is required.

LA Metro
Metro is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies. We serve as transportation planner and coordinator, designer, builder and operator for the country’s most populous county. More than 10 million people – nearly one-fourth of California’s residents – live, work and play within our 1,433-square-mile service area.

The Joint Development Program
Metro’s Joint Development (JD) Program creates partnerships with private developers to build mixed-use developments on Metro-owned property, usually near transit. The JD portfolio will grow rapidly over the next decade with the acquisition of properties for new transit lines throughout LA County. It is anticipated that more than 40 new sites will join the JD portfolio, effectively doubling its size. In Summer of 2021, Metro adopted a new Joint Development Policy that will enable Metro to utilize the new sites most effectively and equitably.

The Housing Lab and Accelerator
The Metro Housing Lab will explore housing innovations on a pilot basis, to test new methods for achieving outcomes more quickly, more cost-effectively, and more equitably. Metro has received funding from the SCAG to launch the Housing Lab and to complete additional research and strategic planning to accelerate housing production. Metro is working with SCAG to procure consultant services in support of this work.

The Position
The Senior Fellow is a maximum two-year appointment with competitive salary, medical insurance and CalPERS eligibility and other benefits. Metro invests substantially in the training and development of temporary staff, with the goal of positioning temporary staff for permanent full-time positions to the extent they become available.