On Monday, Mayor Todd Gloria announced Sarah Jarman will replace Hafsa Kaka, the director of the city's Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department, when she leaves for a regional role in the area of homelessness.
"Our work and efforts on homelessness have garnered the attention of government leaders across the nation," Gloria said. "As a result, [Kaka] has been recruited for another appointment, which she will be announcing in the coming weeks.
"We thank Hafsa for her work and service to the people of San Diego and congratulate her wholly on this new post," he said.
Jarman, who has worked at the city since 2016 and was an inaugural member of the Homelessness Strategies and Solutions team, will return to lead the department beginning April 3.
As assistant deputy director of HSSD, Jarman oversaw and managed the department's Project and Program Development Unit, where she was responsible "for hiring and supervising staff, managing $60 million across over a dozen programs, including contract monitoring, implementation of process improvements and coordinating with key stakeholders including local, state, and federal agencies," according to a city statement.
Jarman holds a master's degree in public policy and a bachelor's in political science, both from Pepperdine University.
"I am honored to return to the Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department leading a team of incredibly dedicated city employees," Jarman said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as director and work in collaboration with our great partners on the most important issue facing the city."
According to the city, since its creation in 2021, the Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department has:
- Helped more than 2,200 people end their homelessness through the city's homeless shelter system;
- Expanded the number of available beds in city-funded homeless shelters by 68%;
- Expanded the Safe Parking Program for people living in their vehicles, including establishing the city's first 24-hour lot; and
- Launched and expanded the city's Coordinated Street Outreach Program to reach people experiencing homelessness where they are in order to connect them with shelter and services.
