Housing Connect Fund

Housing Connect Fund seeks to enhance the affordable housing opportunities offered by Housing Connect by ensuring residents are connected with programs and supportive services that enrich lives and anchor thriving communities.

Housing Connect Track

Housing Connect established the 501(c)(3) Housing Connect Fund to fundraise for the service needs of its residents at a time when many traditional sources of funding are being reduced. While traditional federal funding for rental assistance is received and operated by Housing Connect, the Housing Connect Fund is where additional innovation happens. The two organizations partner to provide a robust menu of resident services in order to increase resident stability and promote self-sufficiency.

Housing Connect believes that affordable housing is the foundation for success for low-income families, and that parents who are stably housed are better positioned to establish a strong home base where their family will thrive.

We accomplish our mission by establishing partnerships to anchor critical supportive services.  If you are interested in learning more about the work of Housing Connect Fund please contact Zach Bale <zbale@housingconnect.org>

Housing Connect Illustration

Housing Connect Fund Board Meeting Schedule

Thursday May 26th @ 4 PM MST

Thursday July 28th @ 4 PM MST

Thursday September 22nd @ 4 PM MST

If you are interesting in attending a Housing Connect Fund board meeting, please contact Braidee Kolendrianos at braidee@housingconnect.org

Janice Kimball, Chief Executive Officer
Janice Kimball, Chief Executive Officer
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Janice leads the agency with the core belief that housing is the great equalizer. Without a safe place to call home, nothing else can happen. Janice became CEO following 12 years overseeing property management, rent assistance and supportive services for the Housing Connect. She holds a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Utah.

Mike Kienast, Chief Asset Officer
Mike Kienast, Chief Asset Officer
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Mike believes that every person is valuable. Through leadership, experience, and team-building his goal is to always provide superior, caring service to our residents, team members, vendors and the community at large. Mike has 25+ years of multifamily experience and is a licensed Utah Principal Broker. He received a Bachelors in Aeronautical Studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Marni Timmerman, Chief Operating Officer
Marni Timmerman, Chief Operating Officer
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Marni has served in numerous leadership roles at Housing Connect since 2009. As Chief Operating Officer her goals include finding innovative and simple solutions to best serve all households in Salt Lake County. She is an accomplished program director who excels in creating positive and inclusive work environments and is passionate about affordable housing. She holds a Communication degree with a Spanish minor from the University of Utah.

Paul Rooker, HR Director
Paul Rooker, HR Director
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Paul serves at Human Resources Director for Housing Connect. He has a diverse human resources background including public and private sector employers in a variety of industries. His background in HR and business management has given him the ability to look at complex situations from both a human resources perspectives, as well as an operations perspective. As a result, Paul has developed a unique adaptability and is able find solutions to problems quickly. Paul’s HR background includes experience in benefits management, employee development, employee relations, recruiting, and compliance. He received his BS in Business Administration from UNLV.

Krysta Niemczyk, Grant Programs Director
Krysta Niemczyk, Grant Programs Director
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Krysta is driven by her passion to find efficient processes to ensure Housing Connect’s valuable housing resources can be maximized. Krysta oversees all supportive housing and resident services administration grant functions, including data and compliance. Krysta has worked at Housing Connect since 2010. Krysta is a certified Project Management Professional.

Jarin Blackham, IT Director
Jarin Blackham, IT Director
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Jarin joined Housing Connect in 2019. He is a dependable and detail-oriented technologist, skilled in network and system administration, security and IT leadership. His role includes driving the technology needs of the organization to provide effective housing assistance in a fiscally responsible way. Jarin likes finding creative ways to explain technology and enjoys providing good customer service. He has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry with 16 of those years in public service organizations. He earned a Bachelors degree in Information Technology and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Greg Cantrell, Director of Construction and Vendor Management
Greg Cantrell, Director of Construction and Vendor Management
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Greg joined the team in 2021, prior to working at Housing Connect he worked in the Real Estate, Construction, and Facility Management field for over 24 years.  Greg has held key roles in multi-million-dollar projects around the Salt Lake Valley including the Eccles Theatre and The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. He has shaped policy change concerning safety on the national level in the Head Start program. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Consumer Studies and Family Economics. Greg loves spending time with his family and is happiest floating on one of Utah’s reservoirs close by.

Jeanette Hernandez, Director of Property Management
Jeanette Hernandez, Director of Property Management
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Jeanette believes in the need to develop housing opportunities for those who need it most. Jeanette has 23 years of experience in property management. She has managed and supervised property staff and compliance departments with Rural Development, Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HOME, and Section 811 funding. She has been instrumental in the success of nine multi-funded lease-ups ranging from 40 to 160 units, including new development and LIHTC acquisition rehab. Jeanette is a Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP).

Kirk Moorhead, Real Estate Development Director
Kirk Moorhead, Real Estate Development Director
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Kirk is involved with all aspects of housing development, from inception to construction completion. Kirk especially enjoys seeing the results of deals, whether they be from their impact on residents’ lives, or how the developments positively affect the built environment of the surrounding community. Before coming to Housing Connect, Kirk worked in affordable housing development in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area for over 24 years, creating or preserving about 1500 units of housing; prior to that, he worked as a community organizer and completed undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Anthropology and a graduate degree in English Education.

Ilez Brady, HCV Director
Ilez Brady, HCV Director
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Ilez Brady has been with Housing Connect since 2010. She started in the Public Housing Department and now oversees the Housing Choice Voucher program. Her professional certifications include Public Housing Manager, Rent Calculation Specialist and HCV Program Manager. Ilez is bilingual and is passionate in customer service and strongly supports our missions and values.

Lori Pacheco, Public Housing Director
Lori Pacheco, Public Housing Director
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Lori is passionate about public service and is a true people person. Lori has been with Housing Connect since 1994 and currently oversees the management and maintenance of Housing Connect’s Public Housing communities. Her professional certifications include Public Housing Manager, Public Housing Executive Management, Section 8 Manager and Housing Credit Professional. Lori also holds a Utah real estate License.

Braidee Kolendrianos, Marketing Strategist
Braidee Kolendrianos, Marketing Strategist
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Beginning at Housing Connect in 2010 with experience working in direct service and with the administration team, Braidee is passionate about educating the community about who Housing Connect is and the agency’s impact on low-incomes households. Braidee serves as the lead Marketing Strategist as well as the Fundraising & Development Coordinator for Housing Connect Fund, the agency nonprofit entity. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a Business Minor from the University of Utah. 

Recent News

Past Newsletters
Past Newsletters
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PHA Annual Plan & Moving To Work (MTW) Supplement for Review and Public Hearing
PHA Annual Plan & Moving To Work (MTW) Supplement for Review and Public Hearing
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East 72 Press Release
East 72 Press Release
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