Job Posting: Affordable Housing & Litigation Attorney

CA Housing Finance Agency

JC-519203
-
Affordable Housing & Litigation Attorney
ATTORNEY IV

$11,993.00 - $16,096.00 per Month

Final Filing Date: 6/17/2026

Job Description and Duties

**We’re looking for an Attorney IV with a solid foundation in housing or real estate law—no need to be an expert in both multifamily and single family programs. If you bring strong analytical skills and relevant housing experience, we will provide training to build your expertise across all program areas. This role offers meaningful legal work, excellent work-life balance, and the State of California’s outstanding benefits, including comprehensive health coverage and a secure retirement plan.**


Under the general direction of the Assistant General Counsel, the Attorney IV provides expert level legal support for the Agency’s Multifamily and Single Family lending programs, including performing litigation duties, conducting statutory and regulatory analyses and making recommendations on proposed regulations and legislation on affordable housing.

Desirable Qualifications:
In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

  • Experience and/or knowledge in single family and/or multifamily affordable housing
  • Experience with civil litigation
  • Experience working with governmental entity
  • Ability to manage multiple deadlines and changing priorities
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to exercise a high degree of initiative, flexibility, judgment, and confidentiality.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

The position is headquartered in Sacramento, California. Candidates who reside outside of the Sacramento area are welcome to apply; however, all employees MUST live in the state of California. For incumbents who do not live within commuting distance of Sacramento, full-time telework may be allowed, with periodic in-person attendance required based on the operational needs of the Agency. For candidates who reside in the Sacramento area, hybrid telework schedules are available. The amount of telework is at CalHFA’s discretion and is based on operational needs. In-person attendance will be required weekly.

Our office is in 500 Capitol Mall, a high-rise building conveniently located in downtown Sacramento with access to public transportation (light rail and bus) and freeways (I-5, 99, and Business 80). It is one block from Downtown Commons (DOCO), the Golden 1 Center, and many restaurants. Employees also have free access to the gym located in the building.


 Visa Sponsorship: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employers in the U.S. CalHFA is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

Please let us know how you learned about this career opportunity by taking a brief survey

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-519203
Position #(s):
693-928-5780-XXX
Working Title:
Affordable Housing & Litigation Attorney
Classification:
ATTORNEY IV
$11,993.00 - $16,096.00 A
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

CALIFORNIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

CalHFA has held its certification as a Great Place To Work® since 2021. Join us in helping more Californians to have a place to call home.

OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL DIVISION:
California Housing Finance Agency’s (CalHFA) Office of General Counsel manages the legal affairs of California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) by providing advice on day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives. The Office of General Counsel also supports CalHFA’s Asset Management, Financing, Single Family Lending, and Multifamily Lending Programs.

OUR VISION:
Every Californian can build a thriving life in a stable home.

OUR MISSION:
Deliver reliable financing solutions to advance housing opportunities for Californians.

Established in 1975, CalHFA was chartered as the state's affordable housing lender. Our Agency's Multifamily Division finances the development of affordable rental and our Single Family Division provides down payment assistance to low and moderate income first-time homebuyers. CalHFA is a completely self-supporting state agency that does not rely on taxpayer dollars for its operation costs, but regularly administers various state and federal resources on behalf of the state.

At CalHFA, we embrace a culture that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive for everyone by building an organization that is as diverse as the communities we serve. CalHFA believes that diversity provides a competitive advantage, strengthens our innovative capacity, and enhances our ability to succeed and grow.
Department Website: https://www.calhfa.ca.gov

Special Requirements

The Employment History section of the STD 678 Employment Application must be complete and include accurate dates, hours per week, total time worked, duties performed, and supervisor names and phone numbers.

  • Applicants who fail to submit a thoroughly completed STD 678 will be disqualified.
  • Resumes or other documents do not substitute the STD 678.
  • Only the most qualified applicants will be invited to an interview.

Use these links to review the State Application Checklist and Supplemental Application checklist to help you understand how to complete a strong state application and address some frequently asked questions.

In order to be considered for this job, you must satisfy one of the following requirements:

BE LIST ELIGIBLE:
Successfully complete the State civil service exam for the Attorney IV classification

OR

BE TRANSFER ELIGIBLE:
Have current employment with the State of California in the same classification or in a classification that is comparable (employees who wish to be considered based on transfer eligibility must meet the minimum qualifications of the classification per DPA Rule 250)

OR

 BE REINSTATEMENT ELIGIBLE: 
Have obtained previous permanent employment with the State of California in the same classification or in a classification that is comparable.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 6/17/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

CA Housing Finance Agency
Joanna Wu
Attn: CA Housing Finance Agency
500 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

CA Housing Finance Agency
Joanna Wu
CA Housing Finance Agency
500 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:30 AM - 04:30 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is required and must be included.
  • Supplemental Application -
    A response to the question below is required in order to be eligible for this position.

    Failure to follow all instructions and provide a relevant response will disqualify applicants from consideration. Resumes, cover letters, or general statements of qualifications will not be accepted in place of the required response.

    Your Supplemental Application must:
    - Be in 12-point font, single spaced
    - Be no more than two (2) pages in length
    - Include the question below with your response

    Provide a detailed and relevant response to the question below:

    Describe your legal experience working with state or local housing agencies, developers, or public entities. Please be specific about your role and duties.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: https://www.calhfa.ca.gov
Human Resources Contact:
Joanna Wu
(916) 326-8007
jwu@calhfa.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Christina Vinson
(916) 326-8011
Christina.Vinson@calhfa.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Minimum Qualifications

Attorney IV

All Attorney Levels

All classifications require active membership in The California State Bar. (Applicants who are not members of The California State Bar but who are eligible to take the California State Bar examination or are in their final year of law school will be admitted to the examination but will not be considered eligible for appointment until they are admitted to The State Bar.).

Applicants who are six months from meeting the required legal experience will be admitted to the examination, but must meet the total required years of experience prior to appointment. 

Attorney IV

Six years of legal experience in the practice of law*, one year of which must have been at a level equivalent to an Attorney III or higher.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
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