Andrea (Ahn-DRAY-uh) Bell
Executive Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services
Andrea Bell serves as the Executive Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). OHCS is Oregon’s housing finance agency, serving at the center of our nation’s housing system. Bell is the first black women to lead the agency.
Prior to her career as a public servant, Bell grew up in a working-class family as the youngest sibling. As the daughter of a social worker, Bell learned early the value of civic engagement and centering community. The granddaughter of an agricultural worker, small business owner, and educator, she saw how government can be a strong partner in making everyday life better.
Bell has held senior leadership positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors over the trajectory of her career focused on expanding housing supply, improving quality of life, and strengthening communities. Her work is done through a steadfast pursuit of advancing housing progress and building an economy that works for, and includes, everyone.
Bell serves as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet and Co-Chair of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. She has worked to secure funding for preservation and expansion of housing supply, relief for communities impacted by natural disasters, investments in childcare, climate, and public health. Bell also led the state’s administration of resources secured through the Consolidated Appropriations Act and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Bell helped advance tax legislation intended to strengthen our nation’s housing supply and presented before Congress on the role of tax incentives in housing.
Bell is an American Council on Germany Fellow, where she focused on transatlantic housing, climate, education, and workforce policy. Bell currently serves as Co-Chair of the National Council of State Agency’s Rural and Tribal Committee. In 2025, the Oregon Commission for Women honored Bell with the Professional Achievement Award for breaking down barriers for women and girls across the state. In 2023, the Affordable Housing Finance honored Bell with its Young Leaders Award.