The top official charged with guiding the city of Portland’s response to its housing crunch has accepted a six-figure severance to step down from her post weeks after Mayor Keith Wilson placed her on paid leave.
Helmi Hisserich, who was tapped to lead the Portland Housing Bureau to much fanfare less than two years ago, will receive $240,880 — equivalent to her annual salary — to depart the agency, officials confirmed Thursday.
“My goal has always been to position the city of Portland and Mayor Wilson as the leader of a best-in-class housing strategy that simultaneously delivers increased housing across all income levels and stabilizes housing for the most vulnerable through strong tenant protections” she wrote in a resignation letter to Wilson…