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Meet Danielle Comer: Address Data Coordinator

Post Date:06/04/2024

The evidence of Danielle Comer's work as Hillsboro’s Address Data Coordinator is all around us.

From new developments and subdivision to older homes and alleyways, Danielle manages every address in Hillsboro. We asked Danielle to share what makes her work so meaningful to her and the Hillsboro community.

Danielle, tell us about yourself.

I’m originally from Oklahoma and moved to Oregon in September 2016. I lived on the coast and worked in Lincoln City for a little over a year before making the move to wine country, and I started at the City of Hillsboro in January 2018.

When I’m not addressing new homes in Hillsboro, I enjoy playing with my dog, Tank, taking photos (both film & digital), trying all the new wineries, and finding new fishing spots and watering holes in the summer.

What inspired you to choose to work for the City of Hillsboro as the Address Data Coordinator?

The intersection of community development and geographic information systems (GIS) data management intrigued me. It married two things I was passionate about into one job.

Then, after interviewing at the City of Hillsboro, I felt inspired again and was excited to join the team and use my skills to improve the data management, specifically around addressing.

What do you do in your role as Address Data Coordinator?

I assign addresses to each new subdivision, development, or home as they are built and occupied. A home address is your home’s identity. It is the number people will be using for important life documents, Amazon deliveries, and holiday cards.

Because of this, I feel a sense of responsibility to both the home and the community.

How does your job directly affect Hillsboro community members?

My work on addressing helps align streets and addresses within the City of Hillsboro creating a greater sense of community. This can include updating older addresses and reconciling addresses previously based on the Washington County grid. I ensure data quality so that emergency responders have the most up-to-date information to locate community members in an emergency.

Whether a resident is receiving packages, needing emergency services, applying for a permit, or purchasing their first home, addresses are a key and integral part of creating a sense of identity for Hillsboro community members.

What do you like most about your job?

One of the most intriguing and rewarding parts of my job is seeing all the new developments come to fruition — and knowing I played a small role in establishing the addresses for all the new homes that community members are or will be living in.

Right now, I’m working on addressing major City assets, such as the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark, and an upcoming Fire Station in the South Hillsboro neighborhood.

What is the top question community members ask you?

I’m often asked, “Why does my address say I live in another city when I live in Hillsboro?”

Zip codes are determined by the United States Postal Service and, often, zip codes are used for multiple cities. The post office does not take city boundaries into consideration when making mail routes, such as the 97006 zip code that includes much of Hillsboro’s Tanasbourne and AmberGlen neighborhoods, so you may be listed as whichever city the post office settles on.

Tell us something people wouldn’t guess about you?

My original major at the University of Oklahoma was in Meteorology until my senior year when I made the switch to Geography. (Boomer Sooner!) I also do photography on the weekends, from portraits to winery photography.