Affordable Housing and Climate Policy: Why Can't We Be Friends?

Session 3D | Thursday | 9:15 – 10:30 AM (PT)

About the Session

The City of Olympia has made a strong stance on prioritizing affordable housing and climate resiliency. An emergency declaration was made for both issues setting the expectation that the City will take bold action to address these ever-growing systemic crises. With this clear directive, staff set out to establish a leadership model that broadens department objectives to meet the overall needs of the community. Staff will discuss the City's leadership academy for managers that infuses principles of culture and service city-wide. The three directors of Housing, Climate and Planning will share their experience with this leadership practice. They will also review their portfolio of work and highlight how they have worked across city departments to seek collaboration instead of conflict. Staff will share the Comprehensive Plan update process and how Olympia is going about this work and what values from this leadership approach are being incorporated into the process.

About the Moderator

Darian Lightfoot

City of Olympia

Darian Lightfoot is the Director of Housing and Homeless Response with the City of Olympia. Darian has been with the City for over two years, working in both urgent need and affordable housing development. Darian leads a team of 7 working on this issue at the City and has focused on integrating these efforts into all departments including economic development, climate, planning, etc. in order to make a greater impact in the community. Darian received her graduate degree from the University of Oregon in Public Administration and worked with the City of Eugene for a short time in the planning department. Before joining the team at the City of Olympia she worked at the City of Tacoma on similar projects. Her commitment to public service in all its forms excites her to present at the APA conference to highlight all the opportunities planners can help positively impact the affordable housing crisis.

About the Speakers

Rich Hoey

City of Olympia

Rich Hoey, P.E., is the Assistant City Manager for the City of Olympia. In this role, Rich oversees the Office of Community Vitality which includes housing and homeless response, climate, economic development, community planning and development, and community courts. Rich previously served as the Public Works Director for over 10 years where he oversaw the City’s transportation system, utilities, fleet and facilities. Rich joined the City of Olympia in 2005 as Director of Water Resources overseeing the City’s Drinking Water, Wastewater and Storm and Surface Water utilities. He was instrumental in developing a number of regional water supply agreements with the Nisqually Indian Tribe and neighboring cities that will long benefit the growing Thurston County region. In 2012, Rich was awarded the National Professional Manager of the Year Award for Water Resources by the American Public Works Association. Prior to joining the City of Olympia, Rich worked for the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water for 13 years where he served as Deputy Director and Acting Director. Hoey was a United States Peace Corps volunteer in the Slovak Republic for two years in the mid-1990s. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Dr. Pamela Braff

City of Olympia

Dr. Pamela Braff is the Director of Climate Programs for the City of Olympia, where she leads the City’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. Pamela's work focuses on developing internal staff capacity to address climate change and operationalizing climate action across all levels of city policy, planning, and decision-making. Before joining the City, Pamela served as a Policy Fellow for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a Climate Extension Specialist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Pamela earned her PhD from the College of William & Mary with a focus on earth science and public policy.

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