“We have been working with James Coles and his capable team for many years. Because our agency has a small staff, we turn to Housing Tools to meet stringent application deadlines. We have found them to be both reliable and responsive to our needs. We highly recommend them.”
Bob Havlicek, Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara
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As a Community Development Senior Project Manager at Housing Tools, Jessica brings expertise in project management, community engagement, and program development to her work facilitating a wide array of projects in rural communities. In her previous roles at Migrant Clinicians Network and Butte County Office of Education, Jessica was involved in all stages of planning, implementing, and reporting on community projects. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Chico.
Jessica has experience with community engagement, consolidated plans, grant administration, housing elements, fair housing assessments, housing needs studies, and supportive services plans. She has managed successful funding applications for the Homekey, Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP), and Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) programs. Jessica specializes in providing Zoom technical assistance to Housing Tools clients and facilitating virtual events for community engagement. These projects have included community conversations on permanent supportive housing in Amador County, a specific plan in the City of Salinas, and Housing Element development for the Cities of Biggs, Chico, Orland, Oroville, and Willows.
Cassie has over 10 years of combined experience in case management and public health at the nonprofit and County level, where she has served as a Health Educator, Case Manager, and Program Coordinator for Butte County Public Health Department, Butte County Continuum of Care, Caminar, and We Care a Lot Foundation. During her tenure with the Butte County Public Health, she led several department programs which required outreach and case management to individuals experiencing homelessness, including the County’s HIV, Hepatitis C and STD programs. As a freelance consultant she has directed outreach and case management teams to identify housing options for those displaced by the Camp Fire in Butte County who were temporarily housed at the Red Cross Shelter. Since joining Housing Tools in early 2019, she has worked with a number of rural northern California counties on stakeholder engagement and strategic planning to address homelessness, and data analysis through primary data sources and surveys to help communities understand the scope and needs of those experiencing homelessness. In her most recent experience with Housing Tools, Cassie has worked with numerous counties on housing needs studies, plans to address homelessness, and has supported community education sessions on the need for affordable housing and homeless services
Cassie specializes in data and is known for creating graphicly appealing substantive reports. She brings a skillset in relationship-building with policy makers, stakeholders and community members, a deep understanding of barriers and strengths rural communities experience in addressing housing and homelessness related issues, and innovative community engagement strategies that meet the unique needs of each community.
Sareena has a background as a Project Manager and Transportation Planner for nonprofit agencies with extensive experience working with underrepresented communities to identify physical, cultural, and financial barriers in access to resources and to develop community-identified solutions. Her expertise is in planning, project management, and program development. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, weightlifting, and traveling with her dog, Charlie Brown. She holds a Master’s of Science in Urban Land Development degree from Sacramento State University.
Sareena’s work in the field of inclusive, equitable development and social justice initiatives is what drew her to the Community Development Planner position. Her experience involves initiating and developing programs to encourage community engagement, workforce development, and accessibility to resources necessary for communities to thrive. This has involved facilitating interorganizational partnerships and collaboration between nonprofit and government agencies, identifying and securing diverse funding sources, building community relationships, and developing innovative solutions. She developed and managed a zero-emission, community-based microtransit program for an underserved community in Sacramento and worked on the planning, permitting, and development of Sacramento’s first mobility hub.
Nadine has over 20 years of experience in customer service-related positions. The majority of this time was spent in the insurance industry. For Esurance, Nadine managed the company’s sales compliance department and ran a team of 20 employees across the United States. She ensured adherence to company underwriting guidelines as well as state and federal regulations. By conducting root cause analysis, she was able to determine areas of opportunity and identify various change initiatives. Through research of processes and guidelines, she developed courses of action and partnered with senior management to work through implementation. Her experience, attention to detail, and knowledge provided her with the tools needed to review, modify, and updated the company sales manual.
In her role as an Executive Assistant at Kodiak Roofing, Nadine provided routine and confidential support to the CEO and COO-VP. She created company manuals where she identified workflow processes, guidelines, and training material. Through research she was able to compile data and statistical reports to grow the company.
Nadine has also had the opportunity to own and manage a graphic design company. Again, attention to detail plays a key part in designing custom graphic artwork for businesses and individuals. Part of her responsibilities were to promote the company through social media and special events.
As a consultant for government and nonprofit agencies, James offers practical expertise gained as an affordable housing developer and a municipal manager. He has extensive experience in developing, funding, implementing, and managing housing and community development programs and projects. This has included initiatives to end homelessness, housing trust funds, HOME and CDBG programs, self-help and first-time homebuyer efforts, home rehabilitation programs, rental assistance, community facilities, and rental projects. Successful program implementation is rooted in planning processes that are highly collaborative, leverage local strengths, and address community needs. By taking this approach, James has directed the completion of a variety of successful planning efforts, including housing element updates, HUD consolidated plans, homelessness plans, Continuum of Care policy development, and strategic housing plans. His knowledge of the nuts and bolts of affordable housing development informs his government planning and policy work in a way that produces results.
Prior to founding Housing Tools, James worked as a Project Manager and Development Director for Resources for Community Development (RCD) from 2000 to 2007. At RCD, he managed the production of multiple affordable housing projects from site feasibility and financial structuring to lease-up and transition to operations. James also held a position as the Housing Manager for the City of Chico from 2007 to 2014. In this role, he managed a wide range of housing and community development programs.
Sherry has over 25 years of combined experience in community development, housing and public health at the City and County level, where she has served as the Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services for the City of Chico, Assistant Director for the Butte County Public Health Department, and Senior Community Development Specialist for the City of Modesto. During her tenures with the City of Modesto and the City of Chico, she managed all aspects of the CDBG and HOME entitlement programs, which encompassed strategic planning through Consolidated and Annual Plans, establishing budgets, setting up contracts, implementing programs and projects,
administration and adherence to federal requirements such as NEPA and federal labor standards, and reporting to HUD. At the City of Chico, he directly oversaw the use of Redevelopment Agency’s Low-and Moderate-Income Housing funds, which averaged $6 million annually, and facilitated the development of over 500 units of affordable housing. As a consultant over the past two years, Sherry has assisted local governments with HOME and CDBG compliance, documentation, and monitoring.
In her most recent experience with Housing Tools, Sherry has worked with numerous counties on housing needs studies, plans to address homelessness, and has led community education sessions on the need for affordable housing and homeless services. She specializes in community engagement and is known to our clients as an effective listener and facilitator. She brings a vast knowledge of housing and community development resources, an understanding of community dynamics, and sensitivity to the challenges inherent in developing affordable housing to each interaction with policy/decision makers, stakeholders, and community members.
Jamie offers practical expertise gained as a housing analyst and licensed real estate sales agent. He has extensive experience in developing, funding, implementing, and managing housing and community development programs and projects. This has included HOME and CDBG programs, Cal-HOME, BEGIN, HELP, Workforce Housing Grant Program, first-time homebuyer efforts, and inclusionary housing program implementation and management. Jamie has acted as project manager on new construction and acquisition-rehabilitation affordable housing projects. In this capacity he was the point of contact for City staff, public and private sector lenders, and other agencies addressing issues and concerns during the financing and construction phases of these projects. Jamie has been lead staff on the preparation of RFPs and RFQs for affordable housing projects and developers. This included developing the scope of work, writing and distribution of the RFP, review of applications, and award. Jamie has been responsible for writing documents required by various grant programs. This includes the HUD Consolidated Plan, HUD Action Plan, CAPER, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing. As primary staff for the City of Woodland’s Inclusionary Housing Program, Jamie was responsible for the implementation of the program, qualification of eligible families, homebuyer education orientations, homebuyer lotteries for eligible units, and City loan documents and closings. Jamie was also asked to sit on the Sutter County Citizens Advisory Committee on Homelessness. This committee analyzed various sites in the County and made a recommendation on where to place a shelter for homeless individuals.
Prior to joining Housing Tools, Jamie worked as a Licensed Real Estate Agent for Coldwell Banker Commercial from 2014-2020. In this capacity he researched and analyzed potential projects for various affordable housing developers in which to construct or rehabilitate into deed-restricted units and also researched projects located in Federal Opportunity Zones. Jamie also served as a RedevelopmentHousing Analyst at the City of Woodland from 2005-2011. In this role he managed the affordable housing programs and projects for the City including the sale of 80 Inclusionary Housing units and the construction of two affordable housing rental projects.
Tam has over seven years in Project Management and Coordination experience in the Affordable Housing Development and Solar Industries. As Project Manager for Housing Tools, Tam Le has managed successful escrow closings and worked on or project managed over 40+ TCAC Tax Credit, CDLAC Bond Allocation, and State HCD funding applications. With these projects, Tam worked seamlessly with financial institutions and government agencies such as US Bank, JP Morgan Chase, CalHFA, HCD, and local governments. Additionally, she has collaborated with non-profit affordable housing development clients and construction contractors to produce various construction, planning, and due diligence documents. Tam Le has the technical skills necessary to coordinate timelines and budgets using project management tools, and the leadership skills to diplomatically spear-head weekly conference calls.
Before working at Housing Tools, Tam honed her skills as a project coordinator in the Solar Sales and Solar Commercial Project Management fields. Tam has over 10 years of non-profit experience. She has held leadership positions with various non-profits in the fields of adult daycare, adults with disabilities, elementary/ high Schools. Additionally, Tam has managed a department with 20+ staff members for a Chico non-profit.