Former Redmond city manager new Housing Works director

Former Redmond City Manager David Brandt will be returning to the region in July as executive director of Housing Works, the organization announced Thursday.

Housing Works is the regional housing authority of Central Oregon and the area’s largest provider of affordable housing. Brandt succeeds Tom Kemper, who served in that position for the last five years prior to his retirement in April.

Brandt left Redmond in 2012 after three years as city manager. He next took his leadership skills to Cupertino, California, where he is currently city manager.

“This is a job I have admired for a long time, and I have missed Central Oregon. I have a passion for affordable housing, and this is an opportunity I don’t want to pass up,” said Brandt. “The time is right.”

Brandt brings a wealth of experience in public agency leadership, community development and land use planning, combining degrees in economics, urban planning and law with a 20-year career in city management.

Brandt was selected following a national search, said Michael Hinton, board chair for Housing Works. “David’s former connection to Redmond stood out immediately,” said Hinton. “Not only did Redmond prosper under his previous leadership, but Cupertino is a well-run city of international renown. Housing Works aspires to excellence in the affordable housing community, and David will bring world-class leadership skills to the job and organization. We are delighted.”

Housing Works has provided Central Oregonians with quality, safe and affordable homes since 1977. Its mission is Fostering Dignity through Housing, and it has a strong reputation for regional collaboration. The organization’s housing and supportive services programs help residents of more than 2,000 tri-county households find stability and achieve economic self-sufficiency. Housing Works uses public funding from federal, state and local governments to leverage private capital from local financial institutions and foundations to provide quality housing that meets communities’ needs. Housing Works is headquartered in Redmond but serves Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties.

Housing Works’ developments have won numerous awards for innovation, economic impact, design, beautification and enhancement. For more information on how Housing Works can help people, visit www.housing-works.org.