In Memory of Kate Dettmer
In lieu of flowers, the Dettmer family invites you to honor the life and legacy of Kate Dettmer by supporting the work she cared so deeply about.
Kate was a passionate and unwavering advocate for people experiencing homelessness, dedicating her career to expanding access to housing and services for the most vulnerable members of our community. Throughout her time at Abode Services, she led with compassion, courage, and a deep belief that everyone deserves dignity, stability, and the opportunity to thrive. Her impact can be seen in the programs she helped build, the partnerships she strengthened, and the countless lives she touched.
Kate joined Abode Services in May 2019 after moving from New Jersey and was hired as a Senior Program Manager overseeing our Alameda County outreach programs, Sunrise Village Shelter (SRV), and Housing Resource Centers. When COVID hit in 2020, she played an instrumental role in Alameda County’s response. Kate then stepped into her new role as Director of Housing and Services for San Francisco in January 2021, when Abode was asked to come to the city. Kate far exceeded all expectations, helping grow our impact in San Francisco and launching City Gardens, our largest permanent supportive housing site in the city. In July 2024, Kate transferred back to Alameda County as Director of Housing, where she brought long-needed stability and support to the department. She launched RCAP, Abode’s first Guaranteed Income program and study, and was a founding member of the Alameda County Flex Pool leadership team, a $150 million, five-year initiative designed to expand housing opportunities for our unhoused community.
Kate’s commitment to this mission, however, was more than professional—it was deeply personal. She believed that if you know better, you must do better, and she lived that belief every day. Kate is a bright light in this world who left us far too early. She leaves an indelible mark on this work and on the hearts of the people who knew her.
Contributions made in her memory will carry forward her vision of a more just and equitable community, supporting the ongoing work to provide housing, care, and hope to those in need. In this way, Kate’s legacy will continue to live on through meaningful change and the lives that will be forever improved because of her dedication.