Meet James, Alliance Maintenance Supervisor
James Portman is Alliance’s Maintenance Supervisor. In that position he oversees our 2 maintenance associates and works alongside them to keep the 85 homes in our 22 small, scattered site buildings safe and maintained.
James joined Alliance in March 2024 and was drawn to work here because he “really wanted to find a role where I felt like I could really make a difference and feel good about the work I do.” While he’s found a lot of challenges in these old buildings that in some cases have survived a century of Minnesota weather, James is “thankful that I can help so many people. The relationship of a tenant/maintenance goes further than just surface level conversation. Being in someone’s personal space who is experiencing an emergency such as not being able to make Thanksgiving dinner because their stove doesn’t work, creates an opportunity to become more than just acquaintances. Replacing an ignitor is a simple task, but reassuring someone their family will eat that weekend is a really good feeling.”
In addition to ignitor replacement, James has snaked countless toilets, replaced just as many light fixtures, patched pipes, tracked down electrical shorts, and otherwise gotten to intimately know Alliance buildings from 2924 – 35th to 3631 Penn. The thing that really stands out for him from his time at Alliance, however, is “seeing people go from nothing to having a place to call home.”
Outside work James lives on the Northside of Minneapolis and enjoys canoeing, lifting weights, and spending time tinkering on project cars.
We at Alliance are grateful for James’ knowledge, his compassion, and his drive to make Minneapolis an even better place to live. Thank you, James!
Let’s Build Long-Term Stability, One Home at a Time
All who engage in strengthening Alliance are equally valued, whether donor, volunteer, public advocate, board member, resident, or staff, your involvement directly supports safe, dignified housing for those facing the greatest barriers.