Head of Sacramento Steps Forward homeless provider stepping down

The Chief Executive Officer of the Sacramento region’s public-private nonprofit tasked with ending homelessness is stepping down from his role, according to multiple sources in the homeless services community.

After four years at the helm of Sacramento Steps Forward, Ryan Loofbourrow will be moving to a leadership role with not-for-profit medical service provider Sutter Health. He provided notice to his employer and employees last week.

“Ryan joined SSF when it was still a fledgling organization and built great community will to support a Housing First approach to ending [homelessness] in Sacramento,” said Sacramento Loaves & Fishes Director of Advocacy Joan Burke in a message to VOICES: River City.

SSF is one of the few nonprofits in the country tasked with applying federal Housing and Urban Development dollars to addressing homelessness. Over the years, the organization has employed “navigators” who work to build rapport and connect unsheltered residents with housing options.

However, Sacramento’s rising housing crisis and rent increases have resulted in a sharp decrease of affordable housing options. Navigators and other homeless providers have fewer housing options to offer homeless and housing-insecure Sacramentans, resulting in an alarming increase in homelessness in the region.

In January 2017, volunteers and homeless advocates found 2,052 unsheltered residents, more than double the 2015 count. The overall homelessness count figure–both sheltered and unsheltered residents–rose from 2,659 in 2015 to 3,665 in 2017.

The Sacramento region saw a marked rise in unsheltered homeless residents between Jan. 2015 and Jan. 2017. [Image by Sacramento Steps Forward.]

SSF spokesperson Ben Avey says that the nonprofit’s board of directors will meet later in the week to discuss their next steps. Despite the short notice, Avey says they are prepared for the transition.

“We have a really strong team, so there isn’t any concern on that,” he said. “It’ll be just a matter of how the board of directors decides to proceed.”

Loofbourrow has not yet responded to a request for comment. Details on filling his new role are not yet available.

Based out of Sacramento, Sutter Health employs over 50,000 employees and provides medical care throughout California and Hawaii.

This story is breaking and will be updated as more information is provided to V:RC.