Roseville Vice Mayor Bruce Houdesheldt’s career began as a public servant in his home state of Maryland in the 1980s, where he worked for a County elected official before starting a land brokerage with Larry Hogan Jr., the current Maryland Governor. Since then, his portfolio has expanded to contain over 25 years of experience representing small business and national companies on transportation, housing, water resources, land use and air quality policy and regulatory issues, both in Maryland, and beginning in 1991 with the North State Building Industry Association.
In addition to serving as the Vice-Mayor of Roseville, Bruce Houdesheldt also serves as the City of Roseville’s Representative on the Board of Directors for the Placer County Transportation Planning Agency. If you asked Bruce what drew him to serving on the PCTPA Board of Directors, he would tell you it was an occupational necessity. “I wanted to understand the things that affected Roseville’s master planned communities,” said the Vice-Mayor. “I worked in the building industry, and it involved collaboration for projects in water and transportation. I knew I had to learn more.”
It was this proactive initiative to learn more about transportation which initially piqued Houdesheldt’s interest in PCTPA, noting that “Understanding infrastructure planning and how vital it is to build healthy communities is what initially drew me to transportation planning.” As part of the nine-member PCTPA Board of Directors, the Vice-Mayor relishes the opportunity to make impacts that benefit Placer residents and businesses. “I strongly believe in building a multi-modal transportation system that provides options to work and play in the region and beyond,” he said. “It’s the connections and choices across all transportation modes that helps make Roseville a great place to live and do business, and I find it really rewarding to help see that happen.”
Vice-Mayor Houdesheldt, who’s day-job represents Sacramento Valley family farmers comply with water quality regulations, is enthusiastic about the growth of transportation improvements and options happening in the area, especially regarding the expansion of passenger rail. “Roseville is a historic railroad town, and I’m excited to champion the expansion of the Capitol Corridor passenger rail service to compliment the Region’s commuter bus service. It is important to provide options to attend a Sacramento Kings game or to safely get to work in downtown Sacramento without the expense and anxiety of a 45-minute commute. Our roadway system is designed to support both our residents and commerce in the region.”
Being a leader in Placer County carries many responsibilities, and the Vice-Mayor notes that “Talking to members of the community and finding common ground is the best part of the job,” he replied when asked what he loved about his role as a public servant. “We are raised with values and ethics, and people are passionate about what they believe in. I enjoy taking the time to listen to everyone’s concerns about transportation and finding solutions that take all perspectives into account.”