Oakland County’s strategic goal of affordable housing is moving forward with the appointments of the county’s first housing and neighborhood development officer and first housing trust fund manager. Oakland County County Executive Dave Coulter appointed Khadija Walker-Fobbs to lead the Neighborhood & Housing Development Division and Kyle Hines to oversee the Oakland Together Housing Trust Fund.
"Increasing affordable housing options and ensuring safe, livable and welcoming neighborhoods are key priorities for Oakland County,” Coulter said. “I'm thrilled to welcome Khadija Walker-Fobbs and Kyle Hines to Oakland County. Both are seasoned professionals and bring years of experience in the housing field that will be an enormous benefit to our residents and our communities."
Walker-Fobbs will lead the advancement of affordable housing in Oakland County as the neighborhood and housing development officer for the Neighborhood & Housing Development Division, which includes the Oakland Together Housing Trust Fund. The Division has helped residents and supported community development projects for more than 40 years.
Safe, affordable, and attainable housing is a significant factor in creating strong communities and shaping people’s overall health and wellness - whether single, raising a family, a child, or retired.
“A key component of the county’s strategy for safe, affordable, and attainable housing will be to lead in innovative ways to engage our community members, developers, non-profits, and local leaders in providing new or rehabilitated housing that serves the needs of our current and future residents,” Walker-Fobbs said. “These new opportunities will help drive a diverse workforce, improve care for our senior citizens, promote healthier communities, and reduce disparities in marginalized populations.”
Before joining Oakland County, Walker-Fobbs served as the chief strategy officer of the Judson Center, which provides human services for children, adults and families impacted by abuse and neglect, autism, and developmental, behavioral, and physical health challenges. In that position, she led services that helped more than 12,000 children and families annually. She also is the co-founder and the former board president of Mission 1:17, a nonprofit that offers safe, affordable housing, and life skills training for youth transitioning out of foster care. Prior, Walker-Fobbs was the executive director of an Oakland County-based human services agency and served as the director of development and community partnerships at the Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative under the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Walker-Fobbs earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University.
In response to the strategic goals outlined by Coulter in his 2022 State of the County address, the Board of Commissioners created the Oakland Together Housing Trust Fund last year as a powerful tool to increase the availability of affordable and attainable housing throughout the county. The initiative will provide gap funding to build new housing for working families. The fund will assist affordable housing developers in identifying sites in amenity-rich neighborhoods while offsetting land prices. Plus, it will serve as a catalyst for investment in targeted redevelopment which, when combined with private sector funds and infrastructure improvements, can completely revitalize a community.
There are more than 400 similar funds across the country.
“I am excited to begin working with our current affordable housing providers as well as expand our network of developers to create more affordable and attainable housing throughout Oakland County,” said Hines. “The affordable housing development community will know that the county is committed to supporting their work. We will also engage our local leaders to identify areas of opportunity to ensure we are meeting the unique needs of their communities.”
Previously, Hines served as the assistant director of operations for the Dallas Department of Housing & Neighborhood Revitalization and oversaw affordable housing programs. He administered an annual allocation of approximately $17 million in funds from HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Community Development Block Grant to use in housing development, home repair, homebuyer assistance and other ad hoc programs. Hines also led Dallas’ low-income housing tax credit program.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas.
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