UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative Names Marc Dones as Policy Director

SAN FRANCISCO (May 28, 2024) – Dr. Margot Kushel, MD, Director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) at the University of California, San Francisco announced today that Marc Dones has joined the staff as Policy Director.

“We’re thrilled that Marc Dones has joined our team in the key role of Policy Director,” said Dr. Kushel. “Marc’s extensive experience in developing policy solutions to address homelessness will be invaluable as BHHI continues to use impact-oriented research to turn evidence into action to prevent and end homelessness.”

Marc Dones has worked extensively in the field of public health with deep experience in violence prevention, homelessness, affordable housing, and racial equity. Dones has held leadership positions in several organizations, including the Center for Social Innovation and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and taught both undergraduate and graduate-level coursework.
“I’m excited to join the BHHI team,” said Marc Dones. “BHHI has become one of the premier research institutions on housing, homelessness, and public health in the world. I look forward to building on BHHI’s engagement with local, state, and federal policymakers, to ensure policies are based on the strongest evidence.”

Dones has also served as the Executive Director of the National Innovation Service, which focused on promoting equity and social justice in communities across the United States through policy and program design. Most recently, Dones was the founding Chief Executive Officer of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, the government agency charged with unifying and coordinating King County’s homelessness response and policy through an equity and social justice lens.

Dones is known for their work on developing policy solutions to address homelessness, particularly for people who experience chronic homelessness. They have also been involved in efforts to promote racial equity in public policy, including advocating for policies that address systemic racism in housing and criminal justice. They have spoken at the White House, testified to Congress, and published papers and book chapters on race, homelessness, and behavioral health.

Media contact: Beth Weaver at OUUVzrqvn@hpfs.rqhude.fscu@aidemIHHB

About UCSF BHHI: The UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative provides accurate, timely policy-oriented research about homelessness for local, state, and national policymakers and practitioners. Funded by a generous gift from Marc and Lynne Benioff and based at the UCSF Division of Health Equity and Society, UCSF BHHI is a trusted source for evidence-based practice, policy, and scalable solutions—turning evidence into action to prevent and end homelessness.