Leadership

Pam Carmichael is an Iowa native and has lived in Des Moines for over 50 years. She has dedicated her entire career to affordable housing. While at the University of Iowa she chose to fulfill her Social Work Practicum at a tenants’ rights organization as a housing counselor and volunteered a community organizer. In 1980, Pam was hired by HOME, Inc. as a Housing Counselor. In 1984 she was promoted to Executive Director, a position she has held for the last 36 years. Through Pam’s management, HOME, Inc. has been a leader in creating quality, affordable housing for low-income families.  At the height of the homeless crisis, a community survey listed the need for affordable housing as a major priority. Pam became highly involved in advocacy efforts. Those efforts included legislation to create and pass Iowa’s Shelter Assistance Fund and the funding for local housing trust funds. She worked to build the Des Moines and Iowa Coalitions for the Homeless, the first neighborhood revitalization plan, and the Polk County Housing Trust Fund. During her tenure she has represented the need of low-income people on more than 30 various boards and coalitions. The accomplishment she is most proud of is her work to ensure that HOME, Inc. continued to provide education, counseling, and homeownership opportunities for low-income people.