As one of America’s most expensive places to live, the City and County of San Francisco are committed to maximizing the creation and preservation of affordable housing. The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development enlisted FUSE Executive Fellow Kimberly Dubin to help amplify public awareness of the city’s efforts and better connect residents to affordable rental and homebuyer opportunities.

Kim developed the agency’s first brand positioning to provide a compelling framework to talk about the city’s affordable housing programs and help the organization shift to a more compassionate, client-focused approach. She created new channels of communication to elevate the voice of residents, standardized information across public-facing platforms, established efficient communications protocols, and built strong relationships with reporters and the Mayor’s Office of Communications. These efforts are not only enhancing public perception and awareness, but also improving clients’ daily experience with the agency whether they call, visit online, or walk into the lobby for help.