Karen Roper worked for the County of Orange for 35 years and served as the Director of the Housing and Community Services Department overseeing the regional Continuum of Care, Homeless Prevention, Aging and Disability Services, Veterans Services, Workforce Development, Housing Authority, Community Development and Affordable Housing Development Programs. As Director of Housing and Community Services, Karen managed 200 employees and an annual budget of $256 million.
In November 2019, Karen joined the City of Corona as the Homeless Solutions Manager. Karen developed the City’s Homeless Strategic Plan and is responsible for implementation of the plan and managing all of the City’s homeless programs, including street outreach and engagement, case management, supportive services, emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and tenant-based rental assistance programs. In April 2021, the Cities of Norco and Corona established a Joint City Partnership for Collaborative Homeless Services. As a result, Karen also manages the City of Norco’s homeless programs.
Karen also serves in the following roles for the Riverside County Continuum of Care:
- Chair of the Riverside County Continuum of Care
- Member of the Continuum of Care Board of Governance
- Chair of the Policy/Advocacy Committee which is a sub-committee of the Continuum of Care
Karen has a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.