Sep 21, 2022
LAHSA Commission Names Stephen David Simon Interim Executive Director
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commission has appointed Stephen David Simon as the agency’s new interim executive director.
Simon previously served as executive director of the City of Los Angeles’s Department on Disability in addition to working with the Raben Group and the AIDS Project. Simon’s first day will be Friday. The Commission cited that Simon’s 20-year tenure across government affairs and public policy advocacy made him an excellent choice to build strong and effective partnerships with key city and county partners to address one of the top issues in the LA region.
“I’m humbled that the LAHSA Commission has entrusted me with leading the agency on its next steps toward tackling the homelessness crisis, and I am more than happy to work alongside the LAHSA staff, external partners, and elected officials to assess the best practices toward decreasing the number of people in this unfortunate situation,” Simon said.
Acting Co-Executive Directors Kristina Dixon and Molly Rysman, who have led the agency since April 2022 through the post-COVID era housing crisis, will return to solely focusing on their roles as director of finance and chief program officer, respectively.
In the past few months alone, Dixon and Rysman led the organization through its strategic pivot as well through the State of Homelessness as well as the release of the 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count data last week.
“Kristina and Molly did a fantastic job during their leadership as acting directors and made remarkable strides along the way,” Greuel said. “They both exemplified admirable teamwork, dedication, and passion that surely did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. We are happy to keep them involved in executive leadership as we co-work with our external partners on our future efforts. I cannot thank them enough for their efforts over the last few months.”
As LAHSA transitions Simon onto its executive team, the Commission’s nationwide search for a permanent replacement is still a top priority. The process is expected to extend throughout the duration of the year with hopes of securing a permanent leader in early 2023.
