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Elly Smith is a Housing Navigator with Open Door HousingWorks, a nonprofit service provider that offers case management, shelter services, and outreach to give program participants the steppingstone they need to stabilize in housing and thrive.
In October 2025, Elly was awarded Washington County’s Department of Housing Services’ first-ever Community CARES Award for her relentless resourcefulness in serving program participants and advocating for a stronger safety net.
At Open Door, she specializes in helping people overcome housing barriers and navigate the reasonable accommodation process. She is known for her ability to understand people’s past challenges, identify what is holding them back, and help them gather the documentation they need to get approved for housing.
Elly has been with Open Door for three years. In October 2025, she moved into a newly created position dedicated solely to housing people, a role built around her strengths in navigating difficult housing situations and supporting those who often struggle the most to get approved.
“Housing was always the missing piece in the other jobs I’ve had,” Elly said. “I could help people get their kids back, get services, get support, but housing was the one thing nobody could ever promise. At Open Door, I finally get to do that.”
Before joining Open Door, Elly worked as a Parent Mentor at Morrison Child & Family Services, supporting mothers involved with the Department of Human Services and helping them reunify with their children. After that, she served program participants at CODA on the Washington County parole and probation opioid caseload, helping people rebuild relationships and stabilize in recovery.
In all of her roles, she found that housing was the one barrier that followed people everywhere, and that’s what led her to this work today.
Because of her lived experience and deep empathy, Elly connects with people in a rare way. “A lot of the people I work with don’t always know how to ask for what they need,” she said. “I’m really good at tuning in and understanding what will make them [program participants] feel safe, seen, and supported.”
Whether it’s gathering Christmas decorations for families moving in during the holidays or framing photos for a mother who misses her children, Elly puts thoughtful, personal touches into every move‑in. “Doing little things for people gives them hope,” she shared. “It lets them know you’re not just here for a paycheck or to check boxes. It shows them that someone truly cares.”
Elly’s compassion stems from her own life experiences.
When her daughter went through childhood cancer and lost her eye, the community showed up for her family in ways she never expected. “I’ll never forget the support we received,” she said. “It’s why I will always give back. I know what it feels like to need help and to have someone show up when you’re struggling.”
Outside of work, Elly volunteers at Gigi’s House in Forest Grove, spends time with her kids, goes to their sporting events, and enjoys making her own home remedies. “This job isn’t an 8–4 for me. Sometimes you have to work outside the box and meet people where they’re at,” she said.
“I just want people to know there are still people in this world who care about them, who will fight for them, and who believe they can get back on their feet.”