Assistant Director for Housing and Homelessness, Cambridge City Council

Samantha (Sam) Shimmon recently joined Cambridge City Council from East Suffolk Council, where she was responsible for all aspects of housing management along with the digital and cultural transformation of Housing Services. As Assistant Director for Housing and Homelessness, Sam is accountable for: managing council housing, preventing and reducing homelessness and rough sleeping, and enabling safer communities, including curating the ecosystem of local organisations that enable better housing outcomes.

Sam has 20 years of experience in the housing sector, working for both private registered providers as well as local authorities. She has a wealth of housing management experience, as well as transformation projects in other areas such as repairs and maintenance, asset management and digital.

Sam’s priorities are ensuring Cambridge City Council is prepared and compliant with the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, focusing on prevention of homelessness, and reducing the time spent in temporary accommodation for those households who are owed a homeless duty, and working collaboratively with partners across the city to ensure Cambridge is a safe city, to live, work and visit.