PORTLAND, OR – June 13, 2019 – Today, REACH announced the hiring of Alma Flores as the new Director of Housing Development. Alma is a seasoned leader with deep experience in housing, community, and economic development policy and programs within a city planning and government context. She brings a collaborative, inclusive, and equitable approach to her work.
“We are thrilled to name Alma to this vital role at REACH,” says CEO Dan Valliere. “Alma is a creative leader and we are excited she will be working to help REACH grow and evolve our impact in the community.”
Prior to joining REACH, Alma served as the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Milwaukie and played leadership roles with the City of Beaverton, Portland, and in Framingham, Massachusetts. Her passion for affordable housing and equitable community and economic development has long been central to her work. She has developed and implemented multiple economic development strategies and recently, she led the creation of Milwaukie’s current housing affordability plan; which involved an impressive amount of community input and collaboration.
Alma holds a Master’s in City Planning in Housing, Community, and Economic Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree from UCLA in Sociology/Chicano/a Studies. Alma currently serves on the Board of the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH) and previously served on the boards of Hacienda CDC, Catholic Charities, and PSU’s Institute for Metropolitan Studies.
Alma will lead a team of three housing development project managers focused on building affordable apartment communities throughout the Portland Metro area and SW Washington metro. REACH currently has the largest development pipeline in its history, with six buildings (over 600 apartments) in various stages of development. Under Alma’s leadership, REACH will to continue to expand its pipeline to meet the community’s need for more affordable apartments.
“It has been a long-time dream of mine to work for a premier affordable housing non-profit in the region and to be an integral part in anti-displacement and gentrification mitigations efforts,” says Ms. Flores. “With the new housing bond and the growing need to meet the housing needs for all walks of life, it is the right time for me to have made this shift and I thank REACH for trusting in me at the helm.”
About REACH CDC
Since 1982, REACH has built innovative and affordable housing for low-income families and individuals in the Portland metropolitan region. REACH develops and manages affordable housing and provides supportive services to residents, as well as free home repairs to senior homeowners. Today, REACH’s portfolio includes over 2,300 apartments including single family homes, small apartment buildings, and mixed-use developments located across Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties. REACH has won numerous state and national awards for its creative approach to building healthy communities and its innovative housing projects. More information at http://reachcdc.org.
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