25-26 JCHA - Housing Counseling Corps

The Community Development Officer will serve with the Housing Authority of the County of Jackson, Illinois (JCHA) in Murphysboro, IL from August 2025-2026. JCHA is part of the Housing Counseling Corps initiative of Housing Action Corps, an AmeriCorps VISTA program managed by Housing Action Illinois since 2010. Housing Counseling Corps members receive custom training, support, networking, and post-service employment opportunities in the housing counseling field, in addition to the traditional benefits of AmeriCorps VISTA. Learn more: housingactionil.org/americorps. JCHA is dedicated to providing quality, affordable housing and fostering economic self-sufficiency among low income families. In Jackson County, over 20% of residents live below the poverty line, with limited access to housing counseling services. The Community Development Officer will help JCHA address the critical need for housing stability in our region by coordinating the development of a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. They will design program infrastructure, create outreach strategies, and establish compliance frameworks for HUD certification that will allow JCHA to provide pre-purchase counseling, rental assistance education, and financial literacy resources to residents in southern Illinois. Our ideal candidate demonstrates some knowledge of and enthusiasm for real estate development, housing counseling, homeownership, and financial literacy. Experience with grant writing, teaching, and curriculum development are a big plus! This position offers an annual housing benefit of $1,000.