In an era of seemingly constant change, Trillium Advisors partners with local agencies – government and non-government – to pursue smart housing solutions, good government, and community impact.

Margaret Van Vliet formed Trillium Advisors in 2019, a consultancy focusing on strategy development, organizational improvement, project management, and cross-sector facilitation. Her specialties are housing and homelessness, as well as wildfire recovery.

Van Vliet is a long-time public sector affordable housing leader who began her career in banking and commercial real estate finance. In Sonoma County, California, Van Vliet oversaw the housing authority and redevelopment agency during and after the 2017 North Bay wildfires that destroyed 5300 homes. She also led the team that created the housing recovery and renewal plan adopted by the County in the wake of the disaster. Previously, Van Vliet served under two governors as director of the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department, led the City of Portland’s Housing Bureau, and served as Chief Operating Officer for the Housing Authority of Portland (now Home Forward).

Trillium Advisors is an Oregon-certified women-owned business. The firm is also named as a qualified professional services provider by the Association of Bay Area Governments/Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Portland area’s Metro Regional Government, and the Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services.

Van Vliet serves on the board of directors of Portland-based non-profit Relay Resources, the advisory board for national non-profit Center for Creative Land Recycling, and is a Special Advisor to The Oregon iSector. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek named her to the Housing Production Advisory Council in 2023.

Margaret is a fourth generation Oregonian. In her spare time she likes to hike, camp, and ski. She named her business after trillium because the iconic northwest flower has always inspired her when it first blooms in the spring.