County executive Susan Price named as Costa Mesa’s next Assistant City Manager

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Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison is pleased to announce she has chosen Susan Price, Director of Care Coordination for the County of Orange, to be the City’s next Assistant City Manager.

Price, often referred to by the media as Orange County’s “Homeless Czar” quickly rose to the top of a talented pool of 67 candidates vying to be the City’s second-in-command. Costa Mesa is one of the very few cities in Orange County to open an emergency Bridge Shelter, and she will be instrumental in its operations and management.

“Susan is a highly respected leader and trailblazer in addressing homelessness in Orange County,” Farrell Harrison said. “Her outstanding credentials and past leadership roles make her a great fit for Costa Mesa. I look forward to her joining our exceptional leadership team and working with her to solve some of the City’s biggest challenges.”

Mayor Katrina Foley echoed that sentiment. “It’s great to hear that Susan Price will be joining our Costa Mesa team,” Mayor Foley said. “Her diverse experience in finding successful cost-efficient solutions to end homelessness will help us transition seamlessly to oversee our shelter and homeless outreach programs. She also brings needed expertise in developing plans for Veterans housing and identifying partners and funding sources to build a quality workforce and affordable housing for families. Her leadership skills and background in these areas are critical at this time. I’m excited to welcome her to our Costa Mesa team.”

Price arrived in the County of Orange in May of 2016 amid much fanfare as she had previously led successful efforts in the City of Long Beach’s Health and Human Services Department to address high-profile issues like homelessness, housing and public health.

During her tenure in Orange County she has designed, developed and implemented 600 emergency shelter beds to help address the encampment crisis, influenced a culture change in the county to effectively address homelessness and created unique strategies to effectively respond to homelessness in one of the largest counties in the country.

“Costa Mesa appealed to me because it’s an innovative and dynamic city,” Price said. “It was the perfect set of circumstances for me. With my expertise in mobilizing and coordinating a multitude of stakeholders to improve the quality of life for Orange County residents, I can see myself contributing to Costa Mesa in a significant way.”

She cited her 17 years of government experience, work in master planning for walkability and bike-ability and her decades of experience in managing homeless services, housing programs and community health initiatives as the reasons why she is a great fit for Costa Mesa.

Price has spearheaded capital improvement projects, tracked legislative priorities and managed complex, grant-based budgets during her career in government.

Price holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach. Price is expected to begin her tenure at Costa Mesa on Jan. 6, 2020.