Bringing Our Community Home (BOCH), the organization coordinating a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness in Santa Barbara County, has appointed John Buttny as interim executive director.
Buttny previously was project coordinator for BOCH, and was appointed to the position of interim executive director after the Feb. 21 resignation of Executive Director Roger Heroux, who stepped down because of health reasons.
Buttny brings more than 30 years of community leadership and public service experience to BOCH. Most recently, he filled roles as staff to the six project working committees involved in the development of the 10-year plan, and as a member of the Santa Barbara County Housing Advisory Sub Committee on Homelessness.
“The governing board is looking to John’s leadership as we move closer to our goal of eradicating homelessness in Santa Barbara County by 2018,” said Jeanette Duncan, BOCH board chair and executive director of Peoples’ Self-Help Housing.
Buttny served as executive staff to the Third District County Supervisor in Santa Barbara County for 20 years. He is a member of the Hospital Discharge Planning Group formed to prevent the discharge of homeless people back to the streets. Buttny received his undergraduate philosophy degree from the University of New Hampshire, and attended the graduate philosophy program at the University of Colorado.
In 2008, BOCH began the implementation of its plan to end homelessness in this county, with initial funding including major support from The Fund for Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Hutton Foundation and the St. Francis Foundation. The cities of Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Carpinteria and the County of Santa Barbara also provided financial support. The website is at: www.bringsbcohome.org.
— Noozhawk staff writer Laurie Jervis can be reached at ljervis@noozhawk.com.