Gretchen Kafoury Joins HAP Board of Commissioners
PORTLAND, Ore. – December 5, 2007 – Oregon political leader Gretchen Kafoury has been appointed to the Housing Authority of Portland’s Board of Commissioners.
At Kafoury’s confirmation hearing before the Portland City Council, City Commissioner Erik Sten called her “the godmother of affordable housing” in Oregon. Kafoury spent 20 years in elected office, serving in the Oregon legislature (1977-1983), on the Multnomah County Commission (1985-1990), and on the Portland City Council (1991-1998). She championed social and economic justice and left her mark not only on affordable housing but on homeless programs and domestic violence prevention.
After leaving the city council, Kafoury joined the faculty of the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She is a “founding mother” of the New Leadership Oregon Board and continues to be active training the next generation of Oregon women politicians.
“I’m delighted that Gretchen has agreed to join the board,” said HAP’s Board Chair Jeff Bachrach. “The wisdom she has gained during her distinguished career will be of great benefit to HAP, particularly as we work to better align our housing with other agencies and non-profits in the community that provide social services to the same clients we house.”
Kafoury, who will retire from her PSU faculty post in the spring, said the time was right to join the HAP board. “I’ve been looking for my next challenge. Serving on the HAP board allows me to spend more time making a difference in the world of affordable housing, including achieving the ever-elusive goal of finding a permanent, sustainable source of revenue.”
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