Community Manager – Conventional & Affordable Housing

Location: San Diego County, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Regional Property Manager / Director of Operations

Position Summary

The Community Manager is responsible for the overall day-to-day operations, financial performance, leasing, resident relations, maintenance oversight, and staff leadership of a residential community that may include both conventional and affordable housing units.

The Community Manager is accountable for maintaining strong occupancy, controlling delinquency, meeting budget expectations, delivering excellent resident service, maintaining the physical condition of the property, and ensuring compliance with company policies, Fair Housing requirements, lease agreements, and applicable affordable housing regulations.

This position requires a hands-on leader who can effectively manage leasing, collections, financial performance, maintenance coordination, resident concerns, and employee performance while maintaining a professional and well-operated community.

Key Responsibilities

Property Operations & Community Oversight

Manage the overall day-to-day operations of the community, including leasing, resident relations, collections, maintenance, vendors, and administrative functions.
Maintain high standards for property appearance, cleanliness, curb appeal, safety, and overall resident experience.
Conduct routine inspections of the property, common areas, vacant units, model units, and grounds.
Ensure company policies, procedures, and operational standards are consistently followed.
Monitor open operational issues and ensure timely follow-up and resolution.
Maintain accurate property records, reports, documentation, and resident files.
Respond promptly to resident concerns and resolve issues professionally.

Leasing, Marketing & Occupancy

Maintain established occupancy and leasing goals.
Monitor vacancies, notices to vacate, upcoming availability, and leasing activity.
Ensure vacant units are turned and market-ready within established company timelines.
Manage the leasing pipeline and ensure timely applicant follow-up.
Monitor market conditions, competitors, rents, concessions, and leasing trends.
Recommend rental rates, concessions, and leasing strategies based on market conditions and property performance.
Ensure leasing staff provides strong customer service and timely communication to prospective residents.
Review applications and ensure screening criteria and company policies are consistently applied.
Coordinate marketing and outreach efforts for available units.
Maintain accurate availability and pricing information in RealPage or other property management software.

Resident Relations & Retention

Provide professional and responsive customer service to residents.
Address resident complaints, concerns, lease violations, and community issues in a timely manner.
Promote resident retention and positive resident relations.
Monitor upcoming lease expirations and implement renewal strategies.
Coordinate resident communications, notices, and community updates.
Ensure lease terms, community rules, and policies are consistently enforced.
Work to resolve resident concerns before they escalate whenever possible.

Rent Collections & Delinquency

Actively manage rent collections and property delinquency.
Review delinquency reports regularly and take immediate action on outstanding balances.
Ensure required notices are prepared and served within applicable timelines.
Monitor payment arrangements and ensure residents remain compliant with agreed payment terms.
Coordinate with Regional Management and legal counsel regarding unresolved delinquency and eviction matters.
Maintain accurate resident ledgers and supporting documentation.
Identify delinquency trends and implement strategies to improve collections.

Financial Management & Budget Control

Manage the property's financial performance in accordance with the approved operating budget.
Review monthly financial statements, budget variances, income, expenses, and general ledger activity.
Provide explanations and corrective plans for significant budget variances.
Review and approve invoices within established authority levels.
Ensure expenses are properly coded and supported by appropriate documentation.
Monitor payroll, overtime, vendor expenses, utilities, contracts, and controllable costs.
Identify opportunities to reduce expenses while maintaining property standards.
Assist with annual budget preparation, forecasting, rent schedules, and capital planning.
Monitor rental income, other income, concessions, bad debt, and loss-to-lease.
Ensure compliance with company purchasing and approval procedures.

Maintenance & Property Condition

Work closely with the Maintenance Supervisor and maintenance team to ensure timely completion of work orders, preventive maintenance, inspections, and unit turns.
Monitor work order completion times and outstanding maintenance issues.
Conduct regular property walks with maintenance staff.
Ensure vacant units are completed on schedule and meet company move-in standards.
Coordinate vendor proposals, scheduling, and performance.
Monitor capital projects and major repairs as assigned.
Ensure emergency maintenance concerns are addressed promptly.
Maintain readiness for ownership, lender, agency, insurance, and regulatory inspections.

Affordable Housing Compliance

For communities containing affordable housing units:

Ensure compliance with applicable affordable housing program requirements, including LIHTC, Section 8, HOME, or other regulatory programs as applicable.
Work closely with the Compliance Department on applicant certifications, annual recertifications, interim certifications, and file approvals.
Ensure affordable housing files are completed accurately and submitted within required timelines.
Monitor income limits, rent limits, household eligibility, and program requirements.
Ensure no affordable housing move-in occurs without required compliance approval.
Maintain audit-ready resident and compliance documentation.
Assist with regulatory inspections and audits and ensure corrective items are completed timely.

Team Leadership & Staff Management

Supervise, train, coach, and evaluate on-site employees.
Establish clear expectations and hold staff accountable for job performance and deadlines.
Conduct regular staff meetings and individual follow-up as needed.
Address performance concerns promptly and appropriately.
Participate in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training of site employees.
Ensure adequate staffing and appropriate scheduling based on property needs.
Promote teamwork, professionalism, accountability, and strong customer service.
Lead by example and maintain a positive and productive work environment.

Risk Management & Legal Compliance

Ensure compliance with Fair Housing, ADA, landlord-tenant laws, company policies, and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
Properly handle reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification requests in accordance with company procedures.
Ensure lease violations and resident notices are properly documented and handled timely.
Coordinate with Regional Management and legal counsel regarding legal matters when necessary.
Ensure incidents involving injuries, property damage, criminal activity, emergencies, or significant resident concerns are properly documented and escalated.
Monitor safety concerns and ensure corrective action is taken promptly.

Vendor & Contract Management

Coordinate with approved vendors and contractors for property services and repairs.
Review vendor performance and ensure work is completed according to approved scope.
Obtain proposals and competitive bids when required.
Ensure appropriate approvals are obtained before authorizing work.
Monitor recurring contracts and identify service or cost concerns.
Maintain proper vendor documentation in accordance with company policies.

Communication & Reporting

Serve as the primary on-site point of contact for residents, prospects, vendors, and community partners.
Maintain regular communication with Regional Management regarding property performance and significant issues.
Provide timely updates regarding occupancy, leasing, delinquency, maintenance, staffing, resident concerns, and financial performance.
Complete weekly, monthly, and ownership reporting accurately and within required deadlines.
Maintain accurate information within RealPage and company tracking systems.
Escalate significant operational, financial, legal, safety, or staffing concerns promptly.

Key Performance Areas

The Community Manager is expected to actively monitor and improve:

Occupancy and pre-leasing
Vacancy days
Leasing activity and conversion
Resident retention and renewals
Delinquency and collections
Rental income and other income
Budget performance
Work order completion
Unit turn times
Property appearance and curb appeal
Resident satisfaction
Staff performance
Compliance deadlines, when applicable

Qualifications

Required

Minimum 3–5 years of residential property management experience.
Experience managing conventional multifamily housing; affordable housing experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience with leasing, collections, resident relations, financial management, and maintenance oversight.
Strong understanding of Fair Housing and landlord-tenant requirements.
Experience supervising and developing on-site employees.
Ability to read and understand budgets, financial statements, variance reports, and property performance reports.
Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and property management software such as RealPage, OneSite, Yardi, or similar platforms.

Preferred

Experience managing a community containing both conventional and affordable housing units.
Knowledge of LIHTC, Section 8, HOME, or other affordable housing programs.
Experience with lease-ups, property transitions, renovations, or stabilization.
Property management or affordable housing certifications such as CPM®, ARM®, HCCP®, SHCM®, COS®, TCS®, or similar credentials.

Core Competencies

Strong leadership and accountability
Financial and operational management
Leasing and sales orientation
Resident service and retention
Strong collections management
Team development and employee supervision
Organization and attention to detail
Sound judgment and problem-solving
Effective written and verbal communication
Ability to manage competing priorities
Professionalism and responsiveness
Sense of urgency and follow-through

Additional Expectations

Maintain strong occupancy and minimize unnecessary vacancy loss.
Actively manage delinquency and collections.
Ensure vacant units are turned and leased as quickly as reasonably possible.
Maintain the property to company and ownership standards.
Ensure timely escalation of significant operational, financial, legal, safety, or staffing concerns.
Maintain accurate records and reporting.
Ensure compliance with Fair Housing and all applicable housing regulations.
Maintain strong communication with Regional Management and ownership.
Lead by example and promote professionalism, accountability, teamwork, and excellent resident service.

Learn more about this Employer on their Career Site

Community Manager – Conventional / Affordable Housing (CALHFA) -1 Bedroom Mgr. Unit