Sessions
Meeting Oregon's Housing Need: Industry Leaders Panel
10:45 AM - 11:20 AM Thu
Alma has been with REACH Community Development Corporation, a local non-profit affordable housing developer, since 2019. She currently oversees the development of over 400 units of affordable housing and is planning for the development of 600 additional units in Tigard, Cornelius, and Portland for 2021-2024. She brings over 20 years of housing, community, and economic development experience within the government sector having managed the development of policies, programs, and high profile projects in the cities of Portland, Beaverton, and Milwaukie. Alma has a strong understanding of the community engagement process in ensuring equitable and inclusive practices and intentional planning processes. She is a stalwart advocate for commercial corridors and main streets and ensuring all people have access to resources and tools equitably. Alma is a graduate of MITs City Planning program with a focus on housing, community and economic development and UCLAs Chicano Studies/Sociology programs. Alma is bilingual (with a third language in several stages of fluency) and tri-cultural and has served on the boards of Catholic Charities of Oregon, Microenterprise Services of Oregon, and Hacienda CDC. She is currently on the board of the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH) and the Portland Housing Center (PHC).