April Norton is resigning after a decade leading the Jackson/Teton County Affordable Housing Department.
She did not give a reason for the departure in a Friday news release.
“While I’m truly sad to step away from a role and a team I care so much about, I’m also excited for the next chapter in my life,” Norton said in the release.
She will continue to work through the remainder of 2026 while the town and county launch a national search for her replacement.
Norton oversaw a revamped department that served more as a facilitator and partner than a developer. She built a program to preserve existing affordable units and worked with private developers to create 241 homes over a decade, according to the county.
Norton created a compliance division to ensure tenants in some 1,000 homes are meeting town and county requirements. She also launched a program to help seniors and disabled community members find homes.
“April’s commitment to expanding affordable housing opportunities has ensured that the vital workers who sustain our community can build secure, stable lives here,” Teton County Commissioners Administrator Jodie Pond said in a statement.
“The impact of her dedicated work over the past decade will continue to benefit hardworking individuals and families now and well into the future. She will be greatly missed,” Pond wrote.
Clare Stumpf, executive director of housing advocacy nonprofit Shelter JH, said Norton has been an “amazing and inspiring leader” who is leaving behind a legacy of homes and partnerships that have strengthened the community.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what she’ll do next and hope that there will continue to be a bright future for the housing department because the urgency of the housing shortage is not over,” Stumpf said.
Norton’s position has put her at the center of a decade of emotional, high-stakes debates about the future of Jackson Hole as the resort destination experienced a surge in home prices that put a strain on local workers.
Some residents have openly criticized Norton’s approach, including her recent work with the private developer that elected officials chose for 90 Virginian Lane. Negotiations with that developer fell apart earlier this summer, leaving the future of about 200 affordable homes proposed for the site in doubt.
Jessica Sell Chambers, a former town councilor and current council candidate, has accused Norton at public meetings of essentially working on behalf of the developer rather than the people of Jackson.
“I don’t think that it was done maliciously,” Sell Chambers told KHOL on Friday. “I just think that it was an epic failure of the system to work for the people. And April is one piece of that.”
Jackson Mayor Arne Jorgensen said Norton’s job was to implement the policies of elected officials and that if residents took issue with those policies, they should talk to the officials. From his perspective, that includes support for public-private partnerships.
“There are strong opinions about these topics,” Jorgensen said. “April went and did the job that we asked her to do. And that is going to inevitably bring with it people that disagree.”
The mayor added that he is “deeply appreciative of April’s work and commitment to this community.”
The housing director oversees the Housing Authority Board, which holds the government’s assets and debts. They also work closely with the volunteer Housing Supply Board.
The director of that group, Laura Bonich, also resigned this year following a contentious meeting on the 90 Virginian Lane project. In a statement to KHOL, Bonich praised Norton’s work and dedication.
“She was an amazing community asset who led with her heart, making sure that everything she influenced was in the best interests of our entire community,” Bonich said. “She will be missed and very difficult to replace.”
Norton was previously the associate director of Friends of Pathways and the operations manager at the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
