Laura Simpson to be appointed Hayward Director of Development Services

HAYWARD, Calif., June 20, 2018—Hayward City Manager Kelly McAdoo announced today that she will appoint Laura J. Simpson as director of development services to lead planning, building and code enforcement administration and operations for the City of Hayward, beginning July 9, 2018.

Simpson, currently planning and housing manager at the City of Concord, will bring more than 20 years of Bay Area housing, planning and community development experience to her new role as head of Hayward’s Department of Development Services.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate to be able to add Laura’s depth and breadth of experience to our team as we embark on a period of transformative growth for the Hayward community while keeping a strong focus on customer service,” McAdoo said.

Simpson got her professional start in Hayward as a housing and community development specialist for the County of Alameda from 1991 to 1994.  Since then, she has served the cities of Oakland, Walnut Creek, Vallejo, Sunnyvale and eventually Concord in various housing, planning and development management capacities.

“I have great respect for the leadership of the city and look forward to continuing improvements in the development review process to serve the Hayward community,” Simpson said. 

As director of development services, Simpson will lead the department’s Building, Planning and Code Enforcement divisions, and serve as a member of the City’s executive team.

Simpson received a Master of Arts degree in city planning from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in urban studies from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.