Assistant Counsel (NCS) - Department of Housing and Community Development

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

Salary Range: $81,097.00 - $129,584.00 Annually

Hiring Salary Range: $81,097.00 - $105,341.00 Annually

Get to Know Us

Welcome to the City of Baltimore! Experience the reward of a fulfilling career and enjoy the added element of excitement in a vibrant, diverse atmosphere. The City of Baltimore offers limitless opportunities to help drive social impact, both on the job and in the community, while serving its citizens. Join us in making Baltimore a great place to live and work. In the City of Baltimore, we hire great people and provide them with the skills and opportunities to grow toward their career aspirations. If you are looking for a career change or interested in learning more, explore our opportunities and benefits programs. We are excited to have you as a part of the City of Baltimore Team! The city offers medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, optional life, AD&D, and FSA plans. This office also supplies wellness programs, support groups, and workshops. You can learn about our benefits here: https://humanresources.baltimorecity.gov/hr-divisions/benefits  

Job Summary:  

The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) was created in 1968 to consolidate local community development efforts with housing and building code enforcement.  With over 400 employees, DHCD strengthens City neighborhoods by attracting investors, developers, and homebuyers. Through the administration of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home funds, City bond funds, and other creative financing mechanisms, DHCD finances and guides strategic development projects to meet housing and neighborhood needs.  To hold property owners accountable and keep neighborhoods safe, DHCD monitors construction and building activity and enforces the City's building, fire, zoning and related codes, as well as provides energy conservation services.

Title Attorney

DHCD works with community groups and other stakeholders to address the problem of vacant buildings and lots in neighborhoods throughout the City. Utilizing legal tools such as tax sale foreclosure, judicial In Rem foreclosure, condemnation, and receivership, DHCD clears the titles to these abandoned properties and, through direct sales or receivership auctions, returns them to productive use through rehabilitation and redevelopment projects. A crucial step necessary for the successful exercise of each of these legal tools is the creation of a title abstract and/or the examination of titles, so that interests in the property are addressed, and all title encumbrances are cleared. Prior to development of the Title Attorney position, all abstracts were procured in the private market, often requiring DHCD to wait months behind private-sector actors paying market rates for such products.

The Title Attorney within the Development/Land Management Division performs title abstracts and title examinations to identify and locate all title interest-holders and identify and correct all title encumbrances and issues. Title Attorneys will shorten the time necessary to prepare Circuit Court and District Court cases for tax lien foreclosures, condemnations, and receiverships. As required, Title Attorneys will also provide legal services, such as drafting and reviewing legal documents, and giving title-related advice, in support of DHCD’s purchase and disposition of properties in pursuit of its blight elimination goals. This class may involve leading paralegals but does not involve full supervisor duties or responsibilities.

IN REM Attorney

An Assistant Counsel (In Rem) in our Development/Land Management division performs legal work related to Judicial in rem tax foreclosure procedures, which are an effective means of eliminating health and safety hazards by putting certain tax delinquent properties back on the tax rolls and into productive use. As required, the position may also include other Circuit Court cases, including but not necessarily limited to condemnation and tax sale foreclosure, as well as drafting and review of legal documents. The work of this class may involve leading paralegals but does not involve full supervisory duties or responsibilities. 

Incumbents in either Assistant Counsel role will receive moderate supervision from the Managing Attorney, Associate General Counsel. Employees in this class work a hybrid work week. When on-site, work is performed in an office setting where normal working conditions are encountered. The work requires minimal physical exertion.