Jose “Che” Ramirez operates under his consulting business Community Homelessness Expertise (CHE) LLC with close to 20 years of experience working as a homeless and housing leader and policy expert in both the nonprofit and public sectors. He currently contracts as a Senior Advisor on Homelessness for Mayor Bass working closely on key initiatives such as Inside Safe, Latinx Homelessness, and emergency response. He previously served as Deputy Mayor of Homelessness for Mayor Eric Garcetti overseeing efforts at the peak of the pandemic to create a dynamic team, build and acquire interim and permanent supportive housing projects, and bring more unhoused Angelenos indoors than ever before. He led efforts with his team to develop and implement innovative programs such as the City’s first alternative unarmed response program CIRCLE, Street Medicine, Project Room Key, Project Homekey, Tiny Home Villages, and Encampment to Home.
Prior to his four years working in local government, Che spent fifteen years in the nonprofit sector leading efforts throughout California in Ventura County, San Francisco, and Los Angeles developing and implementing a diverse playbook of housing and services led solutions. He currently works with multiple nonprofits and cities throughout Southern California on strategic planning initiatives, programs expansion, executive leadership coaching, mental health services delivery, and facilitates critical discussions and workgroups on homelessness. His passion as a servant leader in this space comes from his own personal lived experience with homelessness and understanding that building a sense of community is core to providing lasting solutions.
Che holds a BA in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.