Rene Martinez

Rene Martinez is the Executive Director of Harris County development and finance corporations including: the Harris County Housing Finance Corporation, the Harris County Community Land Trust Corporation, the Harris County Redevelopment Authority,  and city of Houston Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 24.  He also leads Harris County tax increment financing program. 

He was the executive lead for the Rice University – Kinder Urban Research Institute My Home is Here – Harris County’s Housing Needs Assessment and 10-Year Housing Strategy that was received by Commissioners Court in November 2021. 

Rene has presented at a number of local forums and state conferences.  Areas of expertise are housing development & finance, public sector leadership, community and economic development strategies and financing, non-profit management, public finance, and the underwriting of over $500M in loans/bonds for capital projects, economic development, and housing projects.

As a former leader of the City of Houston Planning & Development Department Economic Development & Revitalization Division, Rene led the city's Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone program, economic incentives program, and federal and state economic development grant programs.  Additionally, he has also been affiliated with the executive teams of two Houston-based major non-profit organizations including roles in fund development, capital projects & housing development. 

Professional and organizations include  member of Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers, Texas Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, the  Urban Land Institute, and member Board of Directors of Blueprint Houston, a non-profit organization dedicated to implementing a general plan for the city of Houston. 

Rene holds a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas- Austin, School of Architecture.