Housing Director (Director II)

City of Portland; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 160,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Portland, Oregon, seeks an experienced, equity-centered executive to serve as its next Housing Director. This pivotal role leads the Portland Housing Bureau in addressing homelessness, affordability, and the housing continuum, coordinating across agencies, nonprofits and private partners to deliver reliable, sustainable housing solutions for Portlanders.

As chief administrative and housing policy official, the Director oversees programs that finance and preserve affordable rental

Qualifications

• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in public housing, affordable housing development, shelter services, or related areas of the housing continuum is required.
• A strong understanding of the social, political, and environmental issues influencing the housing continuum is essential, along with demonstrated experience in public administration, financial management, development, and long-range planning in a complex community.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills are essential, including the ability to build trust, advance equity and civil rights, navigate complex and diverse stakeholder interests, and develop productive partnerships across organizational, political, and community boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Applications will be accepted electronically by the public sector recruiting firm Raftelis.
• The position is open until filled, with a first review of applications beginning November 9, 2026.
• For more information or questions regarding the City of Portland or the Housing Director position, please contact Heather Gantz at [e-mail].

Job description

This recruitment is open until filled, with the first review of applications on Monday, November 9, 2026

Job Appointment: Full-Time, At Will

Job Location: In person, City Hall 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97204

Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position. Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

The City of Portland, Oregon, seeks an experienced, visionary, equity-centered executive to serve as its next Housing Director. This is an opportunity to lead one of the nation’s most complex, consequential, and evolving housing organizations – shaping how Portland responds to housing affordability, homelessness, shelter, and the broader housing continuum. This role offers the chance to bring people together, strengthen the Portland Housing Bureau, and help build a coordinated, effective, customer-focused system to ensure long-term, improved housing affordability for all Portlanders.

As the City of Portland’s chief administrative and housing policy official, the Director leads the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) in addressing the community’s needs along the homelessness-to-housing continuum. The Director oversees comprehensive programs that finance and preserve affordable rental housing, expand homeownership, prevent displacement, protect renters, and support initiatives to end homelessness. PHB serves as both a major municipal funder and collaborative convener, regulating an expanding portfolio of more than 19,000 affordable housing units across the city.

The incoming Director steps into the role during a period of significant civic and organizational transformation. In addition to supporting the modernization of Portland’s municipal governance structure and the systems that support it, the Director plays a vital role in post-pandemic economic recovery, partnering across sectors to revitalize Portland’s downtown core through expanded and innovative housing opportunities. The Director manages substantial capital investments, including Tax Increment Financing, federal entitlement grants such as Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME, local housing bond revenues, and the City’s General Fund, among others.

The Director reports directly to the Deputy City Administrator for the Community and Economic Development Service Area and works in partnership with other City bureaus and programs. Working in close collaboration with City leadership, Metro, the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department, Oregon Housing and Community Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), community-based nonprofits, culturally specific providers, and private developers, the Director will be a crucial nexus in advancing housing justice and delivering reliable, sustainable, community-wide solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in public housing, affordable housing development, shelter services, or related areas of the housing continuum is required. A strong understanding of the social, political, and environmental issues influencing the housing continuum is essential, along with demonstrated experience in public administration, financial management, development, and long-range planning in a complex community. Exceptional relationship-building skills are essential, including the ability to build trust, advance equity and civil rights, navigate complex and diverse stakeholder interests, and develop productive partnerships across organizational, political, and community boundaries.

Applications will be accepted electronically by the public sector recruiting firm Raftelis. The position is open until filled, with a first review of applications beginning November 9, 2026.

For more information or questions regarding the City of Portland or the Housing Director position, please contact Heather Gantz at [e-mail].

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations