Affordable Housing Reporter

The Houston Landing is looking for individuals to add to our team of passionate people on a mission to advance democracy in our communities and strengthen the lives of all Houstonians one story at a time. Houston Landing is an independent, nonpartisan news organization devoted to public service journalism. Initially supported by three of Houston’s leading philanthropies including Arnold Ventures, The Houston Endowment, and the Kinder Foundation, we are building a team to support our efforts in sustainability and revenue growth.

The Houston Landing is hiring a reporter to cover affordable housing in greater Houston. This is a quality of life beat. Houston is a global city, with a strong service sector of skilled workers ranging from energy and health care to education. Our immigrant communities continue to grow as working families arrive and join the workforce. Everyone deserves to live with dignity, in safe, clean and affordable housing.

Requirements

Our reporter will dig deep into coverage that focuses on:

• Affordability to safety
• Examining landlords and evictions
• Public housing and who receives contracts
• How safe housing contributes to health and well-being, both physically and mentally

The foundations of coverage include:

• Answering how the public and private sector contribute to the well being of greater Houston residents by providing housing that is free of discrimination, exploitation, and is affordable and safe.
• Reporting on what safeguards exist to require landlords to provide and maintain clean and safe housing that is affordable in an ever-growing region.
• Publishing solutions, best practices and guides to help residents make informed decisions when it comes to affordable housing and navigating housing agencies.

Who you are:

• We seek a reporter with at least 3 years of experience in local reporting with an interest in housing policy and how it impacts families.
• A proven track record of street reporting, source development, bilingual is preferred (Spanish speaking preferred but not required).
• Strong reporting skills, fact-checking accurate who can write tight, concise, clear, and also can juggle a longer narrative as necessary.
• Skilled at storytelling across platforms, including visuals, a strong collaborator, who will also work closely with our teams in audience, community engagement and development.
• You are committed to our mission of finding a new path for quality journalism.
• You have a collaborative spirit, strong communication skills and a willingness to listen to diverse perspectives.
• You have a valid driver's license, insurance, and vehicle.
• You’re committed to accuracy and meeting deadlines.

Benefits

Our Values

EXCELLENCE: We wake up every day with the intent to be the best at what we do.We hustle. We have grit. When we make mistakes, we quickly correct and learn from them.

INCLUSION: We aren’t all the same, and those differences are what make us better. We’ll respect each person’s uniqueness. Perspective, context and life experiences help us to tell the story.

AMBITION: We will be bold and creative, open to all ideas big or small. We really mean it.

FUN: We are not making widgets, although there is nothing wrong with widgets. We tell stories - and stories are often fun, so we believe in having lots of fun.

COLLABORATION: We are all in this together. We may not always agree, but we will listen to each other and communicate candidly and respectfully.

Benefits

• Compensation commensurate with experience, minimum of $70,000
• 401(k)
• Healthcare 100% premium paid for employee and 50% for dependents
• 20 vacation days
• Ten sick days
• Generous paid parental leave
• Hybrid work policy (initially we all work together to build culture)
• Stipend for development / learning

We’re committed to building an inclusive organization that represents the people and communities we serve. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities.