Appointed Deputy Mayor: March 2024

Heather Varden has worked with people experiencing homelessness in the Antelope Valley area by providing direct services. As the Partnership Coordinator for Valley Oasis, the lead Coordinated Entry System (CES) agency in the Antelope Valley, she is very familiar with getting community organizations and nonprofits in the area to collaborate and provide a better service to people experiencing homelessness. Heather is also the Antelope Valley Field Organizer for the “Everyone In” campaign powered by United Way, educating the community on the homeless crisis and how to advocate for housing solutions. She created the Antelope Valley Chapter of 1st Saturdays. This San Diego volunteer-based organization directly provides hygiene kits and clothing to our homeless neighbors on the first Saturday of every month. She has worked for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority as a Homeless Engagement Team member providing outreach and linkage services directly to people experiencing homelessness within the Los Angeles County Service Planning Area 1.  She has been a local site leader for the Los Angeles Greater Homeless Count in Lancaster for several years and served on several special operations teams for the count, going to the most isolated areas where the people experiencing homelessness sleep.

Ending homelessness in our community is an issue Heather is passionate about. She is empathetic towards the issues people experiencing homelessness face. She will continue to assist with housing our homeless neighbors through community resources. Her experience on the frontlines of ending homelessness in the Antelope Valley has been effective by partnering with multiple agencies.

Heather’s extensive knowledge of human services, coupled with her expertise in developing equitable solutions, implementing harm reduction strategies, and promoting trauma-informed care, is an invaluable asset to our city. Her commitment to these principles was exemplified when she established the highly effective Social Equity Commission.

Originally appointed Deputy Mayor of Homeless Initiatives in February 2020, Heather has been very involved in collaborating services and finding solutions that work for everyone in the community.

Creating equitable opportunities for the community not only to survive but also to thrive is something Heather is passionate about.

Heather will continue to work on collaboration and community betterment in her role as Deputy Mayor of Services Coordination and Community Empowerment appointed in March 2024.