Salary : $166,150.40 - $204,276.80 Annually
Location : Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), 2600 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
Job Type: At-Will Exempt
Job Number: 26-81
Department: Legal
Opening Date: 11/02/2026
Special Note: The posted salary is an estimate of the potential annual pay. Final offer will be dependent on qualifications and experience.
Anticipated Hiring Pay Scale: Candidates can expect to be hired within the 8 step salary range of $166,150.40 - $204,276.80
The Position: The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles ("HACLA") seeks a well-qualified, highly motivated attorney to serve as a Senior Staff Attorney to handle real estate and affordable housing development/ redevelopment matters.
The ideal candidate will have substantial and significant real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment experience, as well as general land use expertise, particularly in the area of land leasing, property acquisition, and property disposition. Experience handling general governmental administrative matters, public works, and professional services contracts, as well as managing outside counsel, is also desirable.
Characteristics of the Class: The position allocable in this exempt classification will work with and at the direction and supervision of HACLA's General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel on various real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment matters, including CEQA/NEPA issues, and providing additional assistance in other municipal law matters as needed.
- Prepares and/or reviews real estate-related agreements, including but not limited to letters of intent, purchase and sale agreements/addendums, lease agreements, licenses, assignments, easements, real estate listing agreements, loan agreements, and recordable instruments such as easements, leases, deeds, covenants, and other agreements;
- Assists with document preparation and review, as well as negotiations related to affordable housing and tax credit development/redevelopment and the conversion of public housing to mixed-income affordable housing;
- Assists with Low Income Housing Tax Credit transactions and CTCAC requirements, conduit bond issuance and CDLAC requirements, and all documents related to housing development financings, including HUD subsidies such as Project-Based Vouchers, the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program, and state grants and loans;
- Assists with land use, zoning, entitlement, and environmental law matters;
- Assists with real estate-related contracting, including broker practice, tenant relocation, property management, and construction contracting;
- Performs legal research and prepares memoranda and legal opinions as requested;
- Provides legal direction to outside counsel negotiators, and negotiates and drafts complex documents such as ground leases, commercial leases, disposition and development agreements, deeds, master development agreements, exclusive negotiating agreements, third party contracts, loan documents, and financing documents related to routine and non-routine real estate transactions and large- scale development projects;
- Handles all aspects of closings for the sale, acquisition, and disposition of HACLA and its instrumentalities' properties, including review of title reports and disposition of title matters such as liens and encumbrances, as well as review of surveys and appraisals;
- Reviews, drafts, and comments on staff board reports and board resolutions, including helping ensure compliance with the Brown Act and agency contracting authorities;
- Oversees outside counsel in the areas of real estate, redevelopment, and municipal finance;
- May serve as counsel to HACLA's instrumentalities;
- Provides legal assistance to ensure compliance with state and federal public works contracting requirements, including those under federal Davis-Bacon and related acts and state prevailing wage laws;
- Assists in other legal matters and performs other duties as assigned.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:- Advanced knowledge of real estate, housing development, and redevelopment law
- Knowledge of municipal, state, and federal laws, including regulations and codes affecting California government entities
- Experience working for a public entity or for public entity clients
- Ability to analyze and prepare a wide variety of legal documents
- Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form with HACLA officials and staff members in various departments as well as representatives of outside agencies and private corporations
- Experience working with the housing development community, including private developers, lenders, escrow and title companies, trustees, outside counsel, and other government agencies
- Experience with conduit bond transactions and internal agency bond issuances
- Ability to interpret and apply various government codes and regulations
- Ability to multi-task and work independently with limited supervision
- Ability to manage a large volume of work and complete varied assignments within a narrow time frame, as well as handle stressful or sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy
- Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships both internally within HACLA and externally in the performance of required duties and to act as part of a team to collectively provide the highest level and most beneficial advice for internal clients (staff) of HACLA.
Minimum Requirements:Graduate of an ABA accredited law school and member in good standing of the California State Bar. A minimum of five (5) years of experience preferably working in the areas of real estate or development/redevelopment law.
APPLICATION PROCESSApplications will be reviewed for relevant experience, education, and/or training. Applications must be detailed and complete for proper evaluation. Resumes may be included but may not be submitted in lieu of application content. Only the most-qualified applicants will be considered and may be invited to the interview and selection process.
SELECTION PROCEDUREApplications will be reviewed for relevant experience, education and training. The application must be detailed and complete for proper evaluation.
HIRING INFORMATIONAll job offers are contingent upon providing a successful completion of a pre-employment evaluation, which includes: a post-offer medical examination (includes drug and alcohol screening), criminal records check, employment history and education verification, and documentation of the right to work in the United States.
Candidates will start at
step one(1) of an eight (8) step salary range unless there are special exceptions in accordance with agency Personnel Rules.
HACLA Benefits*Medical/Dental/Vision Plan:
- HACLA will provide up to 100% of the CalPERS medical premium rate for Los Angeles, San Bernardino & Ventura Counties Kaiser rates for employee only, employee + one dependent, and employee + multiple dependents as applicable
- HACLA will provide 100% of basic Dental HMO rates for employee only, employee + one dependent, and employee + multiple dependents as applicable
- HACLA will provide 100% basic Vision coverage for employee only, employee + one dependent, and employee + multiple dependents as applicable
- $250 OPT OUT payment is available for employees with a qualifying health plan outside of the employer network.
- Employees have the option to choose additional optional insurance such as Dental PPO, Custom Vision, additional medical coverage, and voluntary additional life insurance.
*Short-Term Disability/Long-Term Disability/Mandatory Life:
- HACLA will provide 100% of STD/LTD/Mandatory Life premiums for all eligible employees to maintain the IRS 125 Plan
*Pension Plan:
- HACLAretirement plan is the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). Vesting is five (5) years.
- For Classic members, the pension formula is 2.7% at 55 with members contributing 8% of their wages towards their retirement.
- For PEPRA members, the pension formula is 2% at 62, with members contributing 7.75% of their wages towards their retirement.
- CalPERS will make the determination regarding the type of membership for which the eligible employee will qualify.
*General Leave/Holidays/PTO:
- Annual leave accruals vary, depending upon the type of job/position (membership in employee organizational group) and years of service. Length of service increases accrual rates by employee organizational group when service requirements are met.
- Newly Hired Annual Accruals:
- At-Will/Non-Represented accrual per pay period 5.23 hours (17 days annually)
- Council of Housing Professionals-Management accrual per pay period 4.15 hours (14 days annually)
- Council of Housing Professionals-Administration accrual per pay period 6.78 hours (22 days annually)
- Service Employees International Union (Local 721) accrual per pay period 6.78 hours (22 days annually)
- Los Angeles County Building and Construction Trades Council accrual per pay period 5.23 hours (17 days annually)
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees accrual per pay period 6.78 hours (22 days annually)
- 14 Observed Holidays:
- New Year's Eve; New Years Day; Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday; President's Day; Cesar Chavez Day; Memorial Day; Juneteenth; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veteran's Day; Thanksgiving Day; Day After Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
- 12 Floating Holiday hours annually
- Opportunity to earn up to 160 hours of Paid Time Off (PTO) for eligible exempt employees as comp time per calendar year. Employees may cash out up to 160 hours of accrued and unused PTO annually.
*Additional Optional Benefits:
- Pre-Tax Deferred Compensation 457 Plan
- Group term life insurance
- Flexible Spending Account Options
- Tuition Reimbursement Program
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Partial Telework Program
*Temporary Casual/Per-Diem employee are eligible to enroll/receive the following benefits:- Kaiser Medical Insurance - 50% employer covered medical through Kaiser Permanente if working 30 hours or more per week.
- Paid Sick Time - At least 40 hours or 5 days of sick leave after 90 days of employment.
- Eligible casual employees may enter as Classic or PEPRA members if qualifying requirements are met.
- Per-Diem employees are not eligible for the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).
Note: Temporary casual/per-diem employees are able to work up to 40 hours per week as necessary.
*Availability of benefits are dependent upon employment eligibility status with HACLA*
01
What is your highest level of education?
- High School
- Certification
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Juris Doctor Degree
02
Are you a member in good standing of the California State Bar?
03
How many years of experience do you have in the areas of real estate or development/redevelopment law?
- Less than 1 year
- More than 1 year but less than 2 years
- More than 2 years, but less than 3 years
- More than 3 years, but less than 4 years
- More than 4 years, but less than 5 years
- 5 years or more
Required Question
