Dave Kiff named director of Sonoma County Homelessness Services Division

Dave Kiff, a veteran government official with more than 30 years of experience in state and local government, including most recently serving as Interim Executive Director of Sonoma County Community Development Commission, has been named director of the county’s new Homelessness Services Division within the Department of Health Services.

The selection was announced today by Tina Rivera, Director of the Department of Health Services. Kiff is scheduled to begin his new position on Jan. 10, 2023.

“Dave brings to this position strong collaboration skills and is equipped with a fresh perspective about homeless services and the Continuum of Care system within Sonoma County,” Rivera said. “He’s a respected leader within the community, and we’re grateful to have someone with his knowledge and skill set to oversee this all-important new division.”

The Continuum of Care (CoC) is Sonoma County's collaborative effort to address homelessness in the region. Governed by a 17-member board, the CoC is responsible for oversight of funds designated to the Continuum of Care and planning/policy development for addressing homelessness.

This announcement is the latest in a series of recent moves by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to consolidate homeless services under the Department of Health Services and allocate discretionary funding toward expanding resources to address homelessness. In June, the Board approved moving the CDC’s Ending Homelessness team into the newly created Homelessness Services Division. The board also approved an additional $830,000 annually to support the consolidation and expand resources for the new division.

“This consolidation is an investment that will knock down silos and better support our community as a whole,” said Supervisor James Gore, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “It will provide critical housing resources for the unsheltered and is a major step toward the goal of ending homelessness.”

The county’s newly created Homelessness Services Division will consist of the Homeless Encampment Assistance and Resource Team (HEART) and HOMEKEY Cohort led by Heath Program Manager James Alexander; the Ending Homelessness Team overseen by Community Development Manager Michael Gause; and the Interdepartmental Multi-Disciplinary Team (IMDT) managed by Health Program Manager Nasim Bahadorani. The division will be consolidated within the Department of Health Services central office at 1450 Neotomas Ave. in Santa Rosa.

“Sonoma County - from its county government to its cities and service providers - has in place today a really terrific team that, with the right focus and resources, can make significant progress toward achieving functional zero in homelessness. I’m excited to be a part of that team,” said Kiff. “I also hope that our entire Sonoma County community stays involved in homelessness solutions, because it takes nothing less than that.”

Kiff has served as interim director of the county’s Community Development Commission since July 2021. As interim director, he has overseen, directed, and coordinated Sonoma County's affordable housing, homelessness, redevelopment, and community development programs. This role also included managing all operations of the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, its Housing Authority, and the former Redevelopment Agency.

Kiff’s professional experience includes time with the state Legislature, the County of Orange, the City of Orange, and the City of Newport Beach, where he worked for 21 years and served as city manager for nine years. He served on the homelessness Continuum of Care Board in Orange County representing city managers. Kiff moved back to his hometown of Healdsburg in 2019, where he continued in local government, including roles as interim city manager in Huntington Beach, Healdsburg, and Sonoma prior to joining the Sonoma County CDC. 

Kiff has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a Master of Government Administration Degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

His base annual salary will be $178,880.

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Media Contact:
Gilbert Martinez, Communications Specialist
Sonoma County Administrator’s Office 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040