our team
We are more than developers—we are advocates for strong, vibrant communities. Our team is united by a belief that affordable housing benefits everyone. With diverse skills and shared values, we work tirelessly to provide good spaces where people can grow roots and flourish.
Total Development Cost Of Home First Supported Projects
TOTAL UNIQUE FUNDING SECURED FOR DEVELOPMENTS
Grants, competitive funding awards, LIHTC equity and other funding that complements or replaces conventional debt.
The Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Housing Program is a State funding source that provides gap funding for developments that build for low-income families and individuals in Oregon, with a focus on those that emphasize efficiency and community partnerships.
The LIHTC program is administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services, prodiving tax credits to investors in exchange for equity that funds the construction of affordable rental housing. Home First typically utilizes 4% LIHTC.
Other funds include competitive grants and loans available for affordable housing development such as: Meyer Memorial Trust grants, METRO Transit Oriented Development grants, OHCS VGHAP grants, METRO Bond, CDBG, Portland Housing Bureau CET, etc.
As an experienced project engineer and manager, Alex has worked on the most complex and demanding steel fabrication construction projects in the Pacific Northwest. This background gives him comprehensive knowledge of large-scale budgets, schedules, processes and technical execution. For Home First Development, Alex manages construction for all projects and applies his experience and attention to detail to ensure accuracy and consistency across the portfolio.
Amy is a valuable asset to the Home First Development team with 18+ years of accounting experience, including experience in property accounting on both the residential & commercial side, and 5 years in construction accounting. Amy is responsible for overseeing accounting for all Home First/Green Light Development construction development.
Ben's unique approach to development is informed by a commitment to mission-driven work, a sincere interest in public policy, and a passion for partnerships. Always surrounded by a cadre of talented professionals, Ben's primary contribution to projects is knowing how to hit the curve.
Butters uses an outside-the-box approach to leveraging synergies and to drill down on scalable, holistic solutions driven by optimized KPIs. Butters effortlessly closes the loop as she delivers deliverables from both 30,000 feet and the parking lot. Her core competencies include herding cats, hot desking, and watching America's Got Talent/Guy’s Grocery Games. Butters is self-taught and was formerly a show dog, last taking best in sweeps at the 2019 San Joaquin Annual Dog Show at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds.
With a diverse development experience that includes work at a civil engineering firm and in property management. Colleen’s coordination of complex pre-development processes and multi-family leasing informs her ability to oversee due diligence and asset management for Home First Development. As a detail-oriented, efficient, and skilled communicator, Colleen helps our partners execute closings, conversion, and compliance.
Henry brings a diverse background in political campaigns, nonprofit coordination, and legislative advocacy. Most recently, he spent three years leading policy and community organizing efforts at one of California’s largest food banks, where he developed an interest in affordable housing development and policy. A lifelong resident of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood—home to the Home First office—he is proud to contribute to projects that make a lasting impact on his city, and state.
With over a decade of experience in affordable property management and a deep enthusiasm for fostering thriving communities, Hillary works with our Asset Management team to oversee the Home First/Green Light housing portfolio. She previously served as a Portfolio Manager and worked her way up to Director of Affordable Housing Management, which gives her plenty of insight and expertise into the benefits and challenges of operating affordable housing.
Jennifer possesses extensive experience in construction management and architectural project management and interfaces with contractors, jurisdictions, and professionals on a daily basis to achieve Home First’s design and construction goals. Huang has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Smith College and both a master’s degree and an ecological design certificate in architecture from the University of Oregon.
Leah oversees the Home First and Home First/Green Light Development portfolio, bringing years of experience as a developer, executive director and asset manager across the Pacific Northwest. Leah's problem solving skills, attention to detail and mission-driven focus ensure our properties stay beautiful, safe and in compliance.
Maya brings a wealth of real estate and office management experience to the Home First team and oversees the day-to-day operations of the office. Maya is a licensed Real Estate Agent, a graduate of Whitman College, and a longtime resident of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood where HFD’s office is located.
A diverse experience in government communications, legislative affairs, and human resources for State agencies (Housing & Community Services, Department of Environmental Quality, and Department of Transportation) informs Mike's project management approach for Home First Development. His attention to detail and experience with policy benefit the complex work of affordable housing financing and development.
After 15 years in commercial banking, Natalie is excited to bring her experience in finance, underwriting, and risk management to the Home First Development team. Having structured many large-scale development projects, she has a keen eye for assessing project viability and enjoys working closely with various clients and stakeholders to make sure projects run smoothly from start to finish.
A U.S. Army Veteran, Will has more than 25 years of knowledge building and managing resources to support vulnerable populations. His CFO experience built a small Portland nonprofit from annual budgets of less than $50,000 a year to more than $10,000,000, helping thousands of people find permanent housing.
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