Olympia names Ashley Chambers as Housing Director 

Olympia hired Ashley Chambers as its new housing director, a position that will oversee the housing division and take the lead on its work on affordable housing, homelessness response and incentive programs.  

Community Planning & Economic Development Department Tim Smith told the city council at a meeting on Tuesday, July 28, that Chambers was selected through a competitive recruitment process. She brings more than 10 years of experience in housing strategy, affordable housing development and homeless response coordination.  

Smith also highlighted her track record of launching programs, including landlord and tenant education, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) production incentives, a housing landlord registry and expedited permit review, which are initiatives that align with efforts the city is pursuing.  

Chambers, who grew up in Puyallup and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and a master’s degree from Purdue University, said she was “excited to be back in the land of really good coffee and oceanfront views.” 

Council members welcomed Chambers and expressed optimism about her appointment.  

Council member Dani Madrone noted the city’s ambitious housing goals, saying Olympia has been at the forefront of housing policy, including its efforts to legalize middle housing citywide.  

“We have some really big goals as a city,” Madrone said. “We have some really big challenges, but we also have a lot of political will and ambition around this.” 

Mayor Pro Tem Yen Huynh said the council had been closely following the hiring process. She said the lengthy vacancy was not due to a lack of interest in the position.

“It was because we needed the right person, and it was competitive," Huynh said.

Chambers joins Olympia after serving for four years as the housing manager in Grand Junction, Colorado, where she directed housing strategy and homeless response programs. She fills the position vacated last year by Darian Lightfoot.  

Smith said the position is not new, but had remained vacant since Lightfoot’s departure. He said the department has since been reorganized, and now includes five divisions: planning, economic development, housing, building and permit services, and administrative operations.    

Chambers did not outline specific plans for her new role during the meeting.