Meet Elsa, OJF’s new Housing Director!

We are thrilled to welcome Elsa Natal to Our Just Future as our next Director of Affordable Housing. Elsa brings a depth of experience developing affordable housing in our region that is already boosting our production and growing new opportunities, which is exciting for us and our community.

Building affordable housing is a core part of our work here at Our Just Future, because we believe that housing is a human right and that homelessness is a housing problem. Adding more affordable rental apartments to our community is one important tool in our fight to end homelessness, because the severe lack of housing in our area is the most significant cause of the rampant housing insecurity and homelessness our neighbors are experiencing.

Meet Elsa:

Elsa’s professional mission is to provide affordable housing to those who need it most, promote housing security and build equitable communities, which aligns perfectly with Our Just Future’s vision of vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share in the security, hopes and advantages of a thriving, supportive community.

Building affordable housing is a complex endeavor. Elsa’s two decades of experience doing this work means she is able to manage the 19 affordable housing communities we already own and operate, move our current projects forward, and create a pipeline of future opportunities. As a large organization channeling public and private funds into this work, it is our responsibility to add as many new affordable units as possible as quickly as possible, and having Elsa leading our housing development team means we can live up to this big responsibility.

Importantly, Elsa is also deeply committed to and practiced in social justice work, which is essential here at Our Just Future, where addressing the racial injustices of our housing system is a top priority. Given our nation’s past when it comes to racist housing policy, those of us doing this work must prioritize racial justice, for there is no housing justice without racial justice. Plain and simple. Elsa’s experience and commitment to racial justice is inspiring – and we are so happy to have her as a part of the team! We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish next.