Northwest Oregon Housing Authority parts ways with executive director

Mar. 24—The Northwest Oregon Housing Authority has parted ways with its executive director.

Following an executive session Thursday night via Zoom, the agency's board voted to terminate Elissa Gertler's contract early without cause.

Gertler, the former planning and development director for Oregon Metro, was appointed to the role by the housing authority's board last June.

Jim Evans, a director at Quadel, a Washington, D.C., based management and consulting firm, who served as the agency's interim executive director prior to Gertler's appointment, will step into the interim role again.

The housing authority declined to comment or provide any other information about the situation.

Gertler could not immediately be reached for comment.

The housing authority develops low-income housing and provides other critical housing assistance to residents in Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties.

At the time Gertler took over last summer, the board was looking for a leader to move the agency forward after years of turmoil.

The housing authority was flagged as "troubled" by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in January 2020 after an audit of the housing choice voucher program, the federal government's primary outreach to help low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities afford housing in the private market.

Housing authorities are designated as troubled if they score between 0 and 60 out of 100 points in a Housing and Urban Development review. The agency received a score of 7.

In 2020, the agency hired Quadel to oversee the housing choice voucher program and work with Housing and Urban Development on a corrective action plan. Evans was named the housing authority's interim executive director after Todd Johnston, the previous executive director, resigned without explanation.

With the help of Quadel, the housing authority's rating was elevated by Housing and Urban Development last summer to a "standard performer" after earning a score of 74 out of 100. Evans also shepherded new housing projects and initiated development, including the planned expansion of the Owens-Adair, an affordable housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities near downtown Astoria.

However, when Gertler joined, the agency still needed to address other foundational challenges, including staffing, property management and funding for deferred maintenance.

Late last year, Gertler described the challenges in stark terms, and said the agency lacks the basic organizational infrastructure needed to responsibly steward its federal and state funds.

Over the past several months, she hired a new property and resident services manager, deputy executive director and organizational consultant.

Shannon Callahan, the former director of the Portland Housing Bureau, was hired as the agency's deputy executive director in December.

Tom Rinehart, the owner of Rinehart Strategies and Portland's former chief administrative officer, was also hired last year to assess the agency's operational needs and produce a report to help inform the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

In her limited time on the North Coast, Gertler made connections and engaged in regional efforts to develop more housing.

Earlier this month, Gertler was appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek to the state's Housing Production Advisory Council.