David Canavan

Over 20 years of deploying to catastrophic disasters—and more than a decade leading the Disaster Technical Assistance Team for the Department of Housing and Urban Development—has made David Canavan one of the nation’s leading experts in supporting people experiencing homelessness to access response and recovery programs during and after disasters. David has unique expertise in emergency,
short-term leadership assignments, that require both an adherence to local tenets and crisis oversight and resolution. David has honed an astute, decisive leadership style oriented towards outcome- focused action.

 

David has responded to more than 50 disasters from Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, and Florence through recent wildfires in Maui and Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the Disaster Team developed and implemented a concept of operations, direct engagement model, and measurable outcomes for hundreds of HUD grantees. This team played a central role in designing and implementing non- congregate care models nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

He has dedicated his career to designing, implementing and leading systems-level changes with profound impact and measurable outcomes, such as: extending housing-focused case management, standing up hotel transition programming, and activating new relationships with local property owners.
 

• Afghan Support and Investment Program (ASIP)–David led a team to create and refine the ASIP, to facilitate 5500 Afghan newcomers securing leases across California within 9 months.
   

• Housing Central Command (HCC)–As the national leader of the multi-firm HCC Initiative, David accelerated direct-to-housing encampment resolution efforts in several major US cities, including Seattle, Los Angelos, Tucson and Miami. Miami Reports Lowest Unsheltered Count in a Decade.
   

• Back@Home Florence–David deployed to North Carolina in 2018 in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. Local, state, and federal colleagues worked in a first of its kind approach to connect with 974 households (2,134 people) and house 798 households. 72% of the households were experiencing homelessness before the storm; 47% of had minor children in them. Urban Institute Report on Hurricane Florence