Longtime Pasadena Housing Department employee James Wong is the agency’s new director, city officials announced Monday.
Wong moves into the lead position after serving as acting director of housing and a senior project manager with the department since 2004. Wong’s selection came after a nationwide search that officials said attracted many well-qualified candidates.
City Manager Miguel Márquez selected Wong, whose tenure started Monday. Wong will oversee a department with an annual budget of $46.3 million and 91 full-time employees, according to a city statement.
“Jim will be a tremendous asset to our city as the director of housing due to his strong background in housing administration, a proven track record of delivering critical housing programs, and being a respected presence within the regional housing community,” Márquez said in a statement. Jim works effectively with both the community he serves and his team, leveraging their collective expertise to develop creative solutions to our many complicated housing challenges.”
Wong said he is “grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the city of Pasadena in this new capacity.”
Wong has more than four decades of experience in housing programs and administration, including 35 years with the city of Pasadena where he started as program coordinator for a homebuyer assistance loan program.
He has a bachelor of science degree in economics and a master’s in architecture and urban planning from UCLA, officials said. An avid music collector, Wong enjoys scouring used vinyl bins in Pasadena.
