David Brandt, Director
David Brandt has served over 30 years in leadership positions in local government, with extensive experience in strategic fiscal management, program and policy design, and organizational restructuring. David is a strategic thinker and creative problem solver who has managed some of the most complex housing policy, land use, and redevelopment challenges. David also has experience guiding uncommon enterprise departments, including municipal power and Part 139 commercial airports.
David began his career in local government as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Alameda, serving as the General Counsel to Alameda Power, the City’s electric power utility, as well as the General Counsel for the Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority, the authority for the 1,500-acre closed Alameda Naval Air Station. David transitioned to City management when he was appointed the Assistant City Manager, where he managed the redevelopment of one of the most challenging project sites (the Alameda Naval Air Station) and all of the City’s community development activities, including the Housing Authority.
At the height of the recession, David was appointed City Manager of the fiscally impacted Redmond, OR. He stabilized the collapsing City finances by implementing several organizational changes, including transitioning the fire department into a special services district and combining engineering and community development. David also restarted the stalled multimillion-dollar airport terminal project and extended the City’s Downtown Urban Renewal District by 30 years, adding $90 million in new bonding authority. Through these changes, David facilitated the City’s purchase of Redmond’s historic high school building for a future City Hall and restored the City’s general fund reserves to policy limits.
David returned to CA as the City Manager for the City of Cupertino. He negotiated a $60 million public benefit agreement with Apple for what was then the most expensive corporate headquarters project in the US. David also oversaw the proposed redevelopment of the City’s underperforming mall, which was one of the 1st three SB 35 housing projects in CA. Under David’s leadership, the City adopted one of the first Climate Action Plans and Pedestrian/Bicycle Plans. David also represented Cupertino as a founding member of Silicon Valley Clean Energy, one of the first Community Energy Aggregators in the Bay Area.
As the Executive Director of Central Oregon’s Housing Works, the regional housing authority, David worked to construct over 500 affordable housing units, including the region’s first permanent housing for chronically houseless with wraparound services. During the pandemic, he designed one of the most successful, highly utilized voucher programs funded by the federal government.
David is a UCLA graduate with a BA in Economics. In addition, David received a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
