Vera Houck

Vera Houck is Director of the City of Oslo Agency for Planning and Building Services, the agency responsible for shaping the city’s physical development through planning, urban design, building permits and development processes. In her role, she leads the Agency’s work to facilitate sustainable growth, efficient planning processes and high-quality urban development in one of Europe’s fastest-growing capitals.
An urban planner by education, Houck brings more than 25 years of experience from both the public and private sectors, spanning municipal planning, housing development and large-scale urban regeneration projects in Oslo. Before joining the City of Oslo, she served as Director of Housing and Project Development at Usbl, one of Norway’s largest housing cooperatives.
Born and educated in Germany and based in Oslo since 1996, Houck is passionate about creating attractive, inclusive and resilient cities. Her ambition is to help Oslo grow through smart transformation of existing urban areas while preserving the qualities that make the city unique.