Lauren Hall (she/her) is the Executive Director of Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing (DISH), which addresses homelessness by providing high-quality, permanent housing to San Franciscans who suffer from serious health issues. Lauren co-founded DISH in 2006 with support from the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Through housing, DISH helps those experiencing homelessness get off the streets, rebuild their lives, and strengthen the community. Currently, DISH provides housing for 690 low-income, formerly homeless adults and 39 families across 9 properties.
Lauren is a relentless believer that everyone deserves a home. She began working in supportive housing in 1994 as a case manager for adults experiencing homelessness and quickly became an early advocate for harm reduction in housing. As a trusted leader and practitioner in the space for over 25 years, Lauren has helped local and national organizations create permanent, supportive housing for transition-aged youth, families, and adults.
Lauren has led DISH for the past 16 years, and she says that the organization “provides me with the opportunity to be part of a positive and powerful response to the epidemic of homelessness, and there is still much more work to be done.”
“Being at DISH is a deeply rewarding, demanding, heartbreaking, and joyful experience every day,” Lauren says. As she looks ahead to her sabbatical, she is excited for the opportunity to share her responsibilities with other leaders at DISH. As she says, “I recognize that it is time for me to invest further in creating more space for new leadership.”