Niroop Kasthuri Srivatsa is the City Manager of Lafayette

This is a series of articles intended to introduce to the community key members of the City’s Team of employees who serve Lafayette’s residents through their respective position and areas of expertise.

Niroop Kasthuri Srivatsa is the City Manager of Lafayette, CA.Photo byCity of Lafayette

Lafayette, Calif. -- Niroop Kasthuri Srivatsa is Lafayette’s City Manager. She oversees the implementation of the City council's vision, policies, and directives. Her responsibilities include managing the City’s day-to-day operations and professional staff.

Srivatsa has been employed by the City for more than 30 years. Her initial position was Planning Director. She has also served as the City’s Planning Manager and Community Development Director, overseeing the planning, public works, and engineering divisions. She came to Lafayette from Chicago, Illinois, in 1992.

It didn’t take long for her to realize how fortunate she was to work for, as she puts it, “…a community of caring, intelligent and dedicated people. I haven’t stopped feeling that way; this is truly a wonderful community to serve.”

In January 2019, Srivatsa was appointed Interim City Manager and was named City Manager in August 2019.

She received her bachelor’s degree in architecture and Town Planning from Madras University in Chennai, India. She has taken graduate courses in urban design, city planning, and sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and classes in environmental law and land use policy at UC Davis’ Continuing and Professional Education Program. She has intensive disaster preparedness training from the California Specialized Training Institute.

One of the attractions that brought Srivatsa to Lafayette is the downtown, nestled in a valley surrounded by green hills. “I love the vibrancy of our downtown and the natural beauty that surrounds it,” Srivatsa explains. Working with my exceptional colleagues is another perk. I learn from them every single day.”

Asked what a typical day is like, she says there is no typical day. “Each day’s schedule depends on what’s happening in the City that day, what the City Councilmembers need, and what City departments are doing that day. However, I save time every day to contemplate and plan for the future of our City.”

Srivatsa has been a member of the League of California Cities (“Cal Cities”) since 2012, home to more than 400 California cities. She is a past President of the Cal Cities Housing, Community, and Economic Development Department and has worked with city planners and planning commissioners on legislation affecting local land use control. She has developed educational training programs for new and seasoned planning commissioners and continues to serve as a speaker and moderator at conferences and training seminars.

Srivatsa served on Cal Cities’ Revenue & Taxation Policy Committee for five years and is currently on its Environmental Quality Policy Committee, reviewing issues related to air and water quality, CEQA, solid waste and recycling, hazardous materials, coastal issues, utilities, and wildfires. Since 2019, Srivatsa has served as a commissioner with the California Statewide Community Development Authority.

In addition to her professional associations and contributions, her community involvement includes being an advisor to the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Board and the Board of the Diablo Valley Assistance League.

She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Lafayette and a mentor for the Contra Costa Leadership Academy(CCLA) program, which provides leadership training to mid- and senior-level city employees.

For more information, email LafayetteListens@LoveLafayette.org, call (951) 685-2111 , or go to https://www.lovelafayette.org.

About The City of Lafayette

Lafayette is a charming small community located in Contra Costa County, 30 miles from The City of Oakland. It's known for its beautiful green hills, excellent schools, and miles of hiking trails, making it an attractive place to live. The City has a population of more than 25,000 highly educated residents, with 75.2% holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Additionally, 73.6% of the homes in Lafayette are owner-occupied. The median home value is $1,914,700, while the median household income is $219,250. The total area of the city is 15.22 square miles.