By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Nicole Bascomb-Green, a leader in the fields of real estate and banking, has been appointed by Governor Jay Inslee as the new chair of the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC).
Bascomb-Green takes over from former chair Bill Rumpf, who led the commission board since June 2020, overseeing a successful transition in board and staff leadership after the retirement of both the Commission’s long-time chair and executive director. Rumpf will remain on the commission as a public member.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” says Bascomb-Green about her appointment. “I am excited about the opportunity and what that means.”
According to Bascomb-Green, she aims to use her experience to lead the “direction of the governing perspective of the commission and the work they do to support the community around housing.
“As a governing body, we really help to steer the ship,” says Bascomb-Green. “All of the new market tax credits, low-income housing tax credits, and downpayment assistance loans come through the commission. So, many things that affect the community are housed in the commission.”
“I’m excited to step into this role with my colleagues,” she continued. “I am very committed to the work of the commission and very much looking forward to leading the board.”
As head of Umpqua Bank’s Community Lending Division and owner/operator of Bascomb Real Estate Group, Bascomb-Green has accumulated over 30 years of experience in real estate, banking, and the non-profit sector.
In her role serving homebuyers and sellers, as well as in her extensive volunteer commitments, Bascomb-Green prioritizes education and building community health and generational wealth for historically marginalized communities, especially the Black community.
“I am very much a voice for the community,” says Bascomb-Green. “So, I am there to represent us and make sure we have a seat at the table regarding her work in the community.
In 2020, Bascomb-Green became president of the Western Washington Realtists, the local board of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). She is also an assistant vice president for NAREB’s Region XV.
Additionally, she is a core team member of the Black Home Initiative, the secretary of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, and a board member for multiple organizations, including HomeSight, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, and the UW Consulting and Business Development Center.
Bascomb-Green holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix, a bachelor’s in marketing from the University of Washington, and is a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Steve Walker, executive director of the commission, expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment of Bascomb-Green, her leadership, and the progressive discussions that she brings to the table.
“I am thrilled for Nicole to step into leading and guiding the commission in the coming years,” says Walker. “I also want to thank Bill Rumpf for his leadership, grace, and wit over the past three years as we have shifted our values and expanded our work.”
Bascomb-Green says her immediate plans are to help expand the commission’s existing programs and to represent the faces of those in the community looking to build on homeownership, housing, and generational wealth building.
“I really want the commission to be the face of people who are in housing, from Black developers, builders, to people having access to the funds they need in order to build housing in our state,” says Bascomb-Green. “[My goal] is to really expand our homeownership and our downpayment assistance program. I want to be a part of that work, that is what I look forward to doing.”
