Real Estate Attorney

King County Housing Authority is looking for a skilled and experienced Real Estate Attorney to join our team and play a key role in supporting our real estate portfolio operations and development initiatives. In this position, you’ll collaborate with the Development and Asset Management teams, providing legal expertise on complex transactions such as property transfers, financings, and HUD programs. Your insights will be crucial in identifying legal risks and ensuring that our projects meet regulatory requirements, all while contributing to the Authority's mission of financial sustainability and successful operations and project development.

In this role, the successful candidate will:

• Provide legal expertise on a variety of real estate related matters including but not limited to title issues, easements, licenses, covenants and right-of-way work, etc.; transactions, including property transfers, both secured and unsecured taxable and tax-exempt financings; HUD, state and county programs;
• Oversee and advise on key special projects such as property dispositions, and government takings;
• Draft and negotiate real estate and financial documents, including leases and construction documents of various types, participate in tax credit and tax-exempt bond transactions, and ensure related transactions are compliant with relevant laws and regulations;
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with outside legal and non-legal professionals and collaborate with outside legal on complex legal matters.

As a key member of the Develop and Asset Management teams, you will be instrumental in providing legal counsel, supporting projects, and researching applicable laws to support the Authority’s goals of financial sustainability and successful project development. You will also assist with funding applications, prepare board materials, and offer guidance to cross-departmental teams on real estate-related issues.

If you are a strategic legal professional with a proven track record in real estate and financial transactions, and you’re ready to contribute to an organization focused on impact and growth, we encourage you to apply.

• Analyzes and researches complex regulations; reviews, prepares and assists in the negotiation and drafting of real estate development, leasing and lending documentation; advises development team and others on transactions including complicated property transfers, financings, encumbrances, construction matters, and associated legal and risk related matters, transactions and project development activity; assists development team with tax credit and bond transactions and land use matters; assists the Authority with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), State and Local programs, oversees transactions assigned by the departmenthead.
• Oversees and supports special projects of the Authority. Examples include dispositions, government takings, commercial lease activities, membership with the FHLB, research and evaluation of special programs such as HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration and HUD’s Energy Performance Contract program, and other property-related programs for financial sustainability, real estate ownership and management and operationalgoals.
• Supports teams, projects, and external relationships; acts as a project lead; identifies and escalates material risks in internal process; manages timelines for tasks associated with projects; reviews workwithin projects.
• Assists in the preparation of funding applications for submission, reviews resulting funding documents and participates in closings. Assists in the preparation and occasional presentation of board materials related to projectwork.
• Advises and problem solves with cross-departmental staff, managers, and leadership as it pertains to real estate-related issues affecting program and operations of theagency.
• Works with counterparties, outside counsel and other professions on due diligence, closings and other legal related matters.
• Researches and analyses Federal, State, local, specialized contract, and leasing law, including HUD regulations and notices, and similar compliance regulations.

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate AND 
• Considerable experience with real estate transactions with a focus in the areas of development, acquisition, commercial/residential leasing, lending, public finance, and municipal government.
  • Large law firm, government agency or in-house counsel experience a plus, but not required.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Comprehensive legal and real estate knowledge, including a deep understanding of real estate-related contracts such as easements, licenses, leases, and consultant agreements, as well as the theory, principles, and practices of public and assisted housing management operations and community service programs.
• Strong knowledge of state, county and federal laws and regulations related to Authority operations, including multifamily housing ownership, housing development, finance, and public agency compliance.

• Proven ability to plan, support and supervise the work of cross-departmental teams, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and the successful completion of multiple, on-going projects.
• Extensive communication skills, including a high degree of emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution experience.
  • Conveys clear and timely messages; communicates clearly and effectively via multiple methods;
  • Presents proposals and recommendations clearly, logically and persuasively;
  • Analyzes and develops effective policies and procedures.
• Strong critical-thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to evaluate information, to make timely and nuanced decisions, and to apply business and operational priorities in weighing risk-managed outcomes.  Capable of managing multiple legal matters in a dynamic environment while considering costs, risks, and organizational impact.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, senior and executive leadership, while fostering teamwork to achieve common goals.
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion in performing duties and responsibilities; exercises initiative, provides leadership, and demonstrates sound judgment in analyzing situations; a self-starter that can multi-task and prioritize.
• Values open-mindedness, inclusion, and diverse perspectives, recognizing multiple ways of knowing, thinking, and being; fosters a work environment that embraces and appreciates diversity, treats others with respect, and promotes cooperation.
•  Proficiency with MS Office to include Word, Excel, Outlook, and database software.

• Possession of Washington State Bar Association license is required upon hire.
• Consent to and pass education, driver's and criminal records background check.
• Must possess a valid driver's license to regularly travel between work sites.  Must have an acceptable driving record at time of appointment and throughout employment.

Application Requirements
To be considered for this opportunity, you must:

• Complete the online application profile in its entirety. 
• Upload a cover letter that addresses how your experience and education qualifies you to perform the essential functions listed in the job announcement. (Cover Letter) 
• Upload a detailed résumé of all educational and professional experience. (Résumé) 

This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires standing and walking and occasionally requires stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).