Job Description:
Title: HIT Lease-Up Specialist (Salary)
Division: Affordable Housing Operations
Reports to: Sr. Director Affordable Housing Operations
Revision date: New 10-2026
Management Level / Supervises: Individual Contributor / None
PURPOSE
According to prescribed policies and procedures of the organization including all applicable state, federal and accreditation regulations and under the general supervision of the Sr. Director of Affordable Housing Operations; the HIT Lease-Up Specialist plans and executes full-cycle lease-ups for new construction and rehabilitated affordable housing communities, from pre-leasing through stabilized occupancy. The role manages property-specific marketing, applicant pipelines, application processing, income qualification, Compliance submissions, move-in coordination, and performance reporting to support approved timelines, occupancy targets, and pro forma goals. The Lease-Up Specialist collaborates with Compliance, regional leadership, development partners, and onsite teams and may provide hands-on leasing assistance and functional guidance without direct supervisory responsibility. When lease-up activity is limited, the role may support other approved Housing Impact Team priorities.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Lease-Up Planning and Leadership
· Manage assigned lease-ups for new-construction and rehabilitated HUD, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), and combination affordable housing communities, with occasional support for mixed-finance properties.
· Develop, document, and maintain property-specific lease-up plans that define milestones, responsible parties, dependencies, escalation points, and weekly and monthly goals for marketing, lead generation, application intake, file approval, unit readiness, move-ins, occupancy, and stabilization.
Marketing and Prospect Engagement
· Create and execute marketing and outreach strategies, including market surveys, advertising, referral partnerships, community outreach, lead follow-up, and activities required by the applicable Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan.
· Engage prospective residents, present community features and eligibility requirements, conduct tours when applicable, secure applications, and maintain effective conversion and closing ratios.
Applicant Management, Compliance, and Move-In Coordination
· Maintain accurate prospect, interest, and waiting lists; complete guest cards and leasing reports; and enter timely, accurate information in Yardi and other approved systems.
· Review and process applications; obtain and evaluate required verifications; calculate income and assets; determine eligibility; assemble complete files; and work with Compliance through final approval.
· Apply applicable HUD, LIHTC, Fair Housing, Tenant Selection Plan, occupancy, screening, lease, house rules, and addendum requirements in coordination with Compliance and onsite teams.
· Coordinate approved applicants, unit readiness, lease execution, deposits, notices, move-in scheduling, and resident orientation to support an organized move-in experience.
Lease-Up Performance, Partnerships, and Accountability
· Monitor and analyze lease-up results, including leads, applications, conversion and closing ratios, waiting-list health, file aging, approval timelines, move-ins, occupancy, schedule status, and performance against pro forma, and report significant trends and variances to appropriate stakeholders.
· Partner with regional leadership, Development, Compliance, Marketing, owners, community stakeholders, vendors, and onsite teams to remove barriers and keep lease-up activities aligned.
· Provide onsite teams with hands-on leasing assistance, training, tools, and functional guidance as needed; this position has no direct supervisory responsibility.
· Maintain accountability for assigned lease-up schedules, occupancy and move-in targets, application conversion and closing goals, file-approval…