Elaine Howard

Elaine Howard is the principal for Elaine Howard Consulting, LLC. Elaine has over 30 years of experience in urban renewal, development and public/private sector endeavors. Elaine holds a Masters in Public Administration from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Whittier College in California. 

Consulting Experience

Since 2006, Elaine has been working on a variety of public sector contracts, primarily in association with Tashman Johnson LLC on assisting cities with promoting development using urban renewal as a tool. These contracts have included creating a new urban renewal plan for Albany, Salem, Hood River, Lebanon, Bend, Bend Municipal Airport, Hood River County, Lowell and an amendment for Redmond. Elaine has also participated in an incorporation study for White City and an economic impact statement for the city of Spokane. Elaine’s role in these contracts has been to conduct the research and make recommendations, coordinate with the consultant team, and present at both neighborhood and city council meetings. After public presentations, Elaine is praised by citizens for her ability to clearly explain the intricacies of urban renewal. 

Elaine will often receive the comment, "Now I understand what urban renewal is." She has also been responsible for coordinating information and timelines with staff from the various government entities and drafting portions of the documents for them. In addition to her work with Tashman Johnson LLC, she was the primary consultant on an extensive year long process throughout 2008 culminating with amendments to four separate urban renewal plans for the Portland Development Commission. This work involved coordinating vast amounts of information and synthesizing it into technical documents. She is presently working with the Portland Development Commission on a community review process for the Interstate Corridor and Oregon Convention Center urban renewal areas. This review process is likely to culminate in amendments to the two urban renewal plans, which would be prepared by Elaine.

Private Development

For the fifteen years prior to starting her consulting firm, Elaine was in the development business. She has completed a number of projects including eight residential subdivisions where she was the land developer. Her firm also has completed single-family development projects including the acquisition, rehabilitation and sale of properties and the development of new single-family housing. 

Public Sector Experience

Elaine started her career in public service while working for Mayor Neil Goldschmidt where she served the ombudsman role for the Mayor’s office and pursued an interest in housing policy. She continued her public service while working for the Portland Development Commission (PDC). While with PDC, Elaine worked with the Thurman Vaughn and St. Johns neighborhoods on revitalization efforts. She implemented the Recycled Housing Program and wrote the grant for and implemented the Urban Homestead Program, both homeownership programs.

Elaine was also the project manager for the second phase of the RiverPlace development which included housing office space, retail space, extending the esplanade and the complicated task of relocating the PP&L substation from the shore of the Willamette River.  She also co-managed the South Park Blocks Urban Renewal Area which produced over 400 units of middle income housing to help support both the arts and cultural district and retail core in downtown Portland. These projects involved coordinating with a variety of stakeholders, including neighborhood associations, private individuals, developers and other government entities. The end products were a combination of economic development activities which included infrastructure improvements, housing development and creation of neighborhood identity.

Contact Elaine Howard Consulting

705 Terrace Drive
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone 503.975.3147
Fax 503.675.1161
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