Julia Metz

Julia Metz with dog in forest

Housing Campaign Manager 

Julia joins 1000 Friends of Oregon as the housing campaign manager, bringing nearly a decade of experience in affordable housing development, advocacy, and community engagement across the Pacific Northwest. Her passion for housing began while pursuing a bachelor’s in architecture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she engaged in community-led design projects in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Julia’s appreciation for Oregon’s unique land use system deepened during her master’s in urban and regional planning at Portland State University.

Her background as an affordable housing developer centers on equitable, justice-focused housing solutions, including displacement mitigation in North and Northeast Portland and advancing trauma-informed practices in the field. Recently, in partnership with Sightline Institute and 1000 Friends, she has focused on the rulemaking process for Oregon’s first major update to Oregon’s housing goal (Goal 10) since its inception, convening a diverse coalition to ensure statewide input shapes an effective, equity-focused policy that expands housing choices across Oregon.

Outside of work, you may find Julia slinging wine at a local Portland winery or exploring Oregon’s unique blend of urban and natural beauty with her dog, Juniper, thanks to the land use system that makes it all possible.

julia@friends.org |  (503) 773-8879 | she/her/hers