Attorney Representing the Housing and Community Development Division of DCHS

The Civil Division of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) is seeking an experienced attorney to join its Transportation and Real Property Section (T&RP). The T&RP Section represents King County on real estate-related matters and general client advising on a variety of topics, including municipal, environmental, and constitutional law issues. This position will specifically represent King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), with particular emphasis on the Housing and Community Development Division (HCD).

HCD is one of five divisions within DCHS. Its mission is to increase housing stability and develop strong communities while committing to being an anti-racist division and collaborating with partners to implement solutions helping historically excluded and systemically marginalized people.  HCD manages a biennium budget of approximately $800 million dollars with over 80 staff that work on a variety of projects, including housing policy and planning, capital development and preservation, housing stability and homelessness prevention, and the Health Through Housing Initiative.

DCHS’s mission is to provide equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, self-reliant, and connected to community. DCHS values diverse perspectives and life experiences and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with lived experiences.

The KCPAO Civil Division provides comprehensive legal services to King County government, including all County elected and appointed officials, department heads, and agency staff. Serving in its role as the in-house law firm for the County, the Civil Division works closely with its clients in solving a wide range of legal problems by providing legal advice and representing King County and its employees in lawsuits filed in state or federal courts. The Civil Division is comprised of about 65 lawyers organized into seven practice sections.

The KCPAO values diversity and strives to hire a workforce that reflects the community that we serve. It is essential to our mission that we create and maintain an office that is diverse and inclusive. All KCPAO employees are expected to participate in KCPAO equity work and attend equity trainings and discussions. KCPAO employees are expected to comply with equity and social justice principles and to work with KCPAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement.

The attorney selected for this position will advise on affordable housing and real estate finance issues and transactions, including loan closings, workouts, and title review; the County’s homeless housing and service programs; veterans services; and interpreting relevant codes, statutes and regulatory guidelines.  The attorney may also handle litigation arising from our client’s activities.   The ideal candidate will have at least five years of relevant legal experience, with a strong commitment to advocating for equitable housing solutions and community development initiatives, with an emphasis on serving low-income and marginalized communities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide legal counsel on affordable housing finance and community development projects.
• Draft and review legal instruments, including contracts, purchase and sale agreements, leases, covenants, and loan documents. 
• Collaborate with state and local agencies, non-profit organizations, and community stakeholders to advance housing and community development initiatives.
• Provide informed and up-to-date legal advice on relevant housing laws, policies, and emerging issues.
• Support client policy advocacy and goals, including legislative research and review, in support of client housing, homelessness, and community development efforts.

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• WA State Bar licensed at time of application.
• Minimum five years of experience in real estate, finance, housing, community development, or related legal areas.
• Experience working with or on behalf of low-income communities, public agencies, or non-profit organizations.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to handle complex legal issues while balancing at times competing client interests and community needs to find practical solutions to complicated legal problems.
• Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices, and understanding of the effects of place-, race-, policy-, and systems-based inequities on historically disenfranchised communities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with housing laws, low-income housing tax credits, housing finance, and state and local affordable housing programs, including rental and homeownership.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal fund sources for affordable housing, homelessness, and homeownership.  Knowledge of the history of racially exclusive and discriminatory land use and housing practices in the United States, preferably King County
• Experience working with communities disproportionately impacted by housing disparities.
• Familiarity with King County-specific affordable housing issues.
• Experience working for a government agency.

Special Requirements:

• Member in good standing with the Washington State Bar.
• Must submit to a criminal history check, which includes fingerprinting.
• U.S. Citizenship or a lawful permanent resident (per RCW 36.27 and 29A.04 and Article VI of the WA Constitution).

Work Location:   The Civil Division is in the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle.  Attorneys enjoy a hybrid work schedule that allows telecommuting three days one week, two days the next, with in-office work required on Wednesdays.   If a successful candidate is new to the KCPAO, they are required to work in-office three days a week for six months.

Salary: $127,290 - $174,107 commensurate with 5~20 years for experience.

Benefits Package:   King County offers an excellent benefits package – for more information, click on the Benefits tab of the online job posting.  KCPAO pays WSBA dues and provides in-house CLE trainings to assist in meeting required credits.

Application Process: 
1. Attach cover letter and résumé
2. Attach writing sample
3. Answer supplemental questions

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact:
Darren Thompson, Transportation & Real Property Section Head at (206)477-1880 or darren.thompson@kingcounty.gov.   

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The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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