Freedom West Homes

What Freedom West Homes does

Freedom West Homes Corporation is a nonprofit limited equity housing cooperative founded in the late 1960s (with construction completed circa 1973) by Reverend J. Austell Hall of Bethel AME Church in San Francisco's Fillmore District, in direct response to government-sponsored urban renewal that displaced over 20,000 predominantly African American residents and closed more than 800 businesses. Today the cooperative owns and operates 382 housing units serving approximately 386 households and ~1,000 residents, of whom over 60% are seniors, providing below-market cooperative ownership to low- and moderate-income families with monthly carrying charges set by the co-op board rather than individual unit ownership.

The core technology is a housing cooperative management and community-driven development model, in which shareholders hold voting rights on major decisions and a Shareholder Advisory Board plus the 2.0 Ambassador Committee shape design and policy. The Freedom West 2.0 revitalization project — approved by shareholders in November 2020 and now in active entitlement — replaces the existing 382 units with 267 new affordable co-op units and 248 affordable rental units (including a 115-unit, 100% affordable senior building with Section 8 project-based vouchers) for a total of 515 affordable units, alongside 1,885+ market-rate homes, a 250-room hotel, 20,000+ SF of commercial/retail space, a 6,000 SF STEM Workforce and Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, and a planned performing arts center on the existing 10-acre site.

Revenue mechanics are limited-equity cooperative in nature: monthly carrying charges from existing shareholders (subscription-style recurring revenue), supplemented by 1,200 SF of ground-floor retail ownership income in the senior building and a 15% net profit participation agreement with master developer MacFarlane Partners tied to the performance of the market-rate component. Cumulative philanthropic and impact-investment capital raised exceeds $30 million across CommonSpirit Health ($5M), the San Francisco Foundation ($2.5M), Crankstart Foundation ($7M in April 2025), LIIF ($1.25M debt + $250K grant), Bethel AME Church ($1M), JP Morgan Chase, and others, with the $25M Founders Circle campaign nearing close and the SF Planning Commission advancing the Draft Environmental Impact Report as of February 2026. The newly established Freedom West Community Development Corporation (FWCDC), a 501(c)(3), institutionalizes the project's grant-receiving and sustainable-revenue-development functions.

Name

Freedom West Homes

Legal name

Freedom West Homes Corporation

Website

https://freedomwest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Freedom West Homes Corporation is a nonprofit limited equity housing cooperative in San Francisco's Fillmore District operating 382 affordable units for ~1,000 low-to-moderate income residents, executing the $2.3 billion Freedom West 2.0 revitalization plan to expand to 515 affordable units plus 1,885+ market-rate homes, a hotel, and a STEM center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing

NAICS

Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (6233), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative (Co-op) Housing Association Management (BPAJAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Affordable housing cooperative
• Community development
• Urban revitalization
• Senior affordable housing
• Limited equity housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Membership Carrying Charges: Monthly carrying charges paid by cooperative shareholders for housing units. Existing co-op members maintain their membership at no additional monthly housing cost as units are replaced under Freedom West 2.0.
2. Real Estate Ownership Income: Freedom West nonprofit co-op will own additional residential and retail components as part of the 40+ year economic sustainability plan, generating income from ground-floor retail space (1,200 SF commercial in senior building) and other commercial elements.
3. Market Rate Development Profit Participation: Freedom West participates in 15% net profit sharing agreement with MacFarlane Partners from the market rate portion of the overall development, providing ongoing revenue stream from the 1,885+ market rate units.
4. STEM Innovation Center Operations: 6,000 square foot STEM workforce and entrepreneurship innovation center designed to connect low-to-moderate income residents with high-paying jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, potentially generating revenue through programming and partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Freedom West Homes Corporation operates a nonprofit limited equity housing cooperative providing affordable homeownership and rental housing in San Francisco's Fillmore District. The cooperative serves approximately 1,000 residents across 386 households through monthly carrying charges and share ownership, with a 115-unit 100% affordable senior building under construction as the first phase of the $2.3 billion Freedom West 2.0 revitalization. Revenue also flows from a 15% net profit participation in 1,885+ market-rate units developed with MacFarlane Partners and Avanath Capital Management.

Product overview

Freedom West Homes is a nonprofit limited equity housing cooperative operating as a single unified offering with the major Freedom West 2.0 revitalization initiative. The cooperative provides affordable housing through 382 existing units, with the Freedom West 2.0 project serving as a comprehensive redevelopment plan that encompasses the Senior Building (115-unit affordable senior housing sub-product), a STEM Workforce and Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, and a planned Performing Arts Center. The portfolio centers on cooperative housing ownership with modern amenities, community services, and economic empowerment programs, all designed to prevent displacement and build generational wealth for residents in San Francisco's Fillmore District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freedom West Homes Cooperative Housing A nonprofit limited equity housing cooperative providing 382 affordable housing units in San Francisco's Fillmore District. Members purchase cooperative shares rather than individual units and pay monthly carrying charges. Approximately 1,000 residents, over 60% seniors, gain perpetual affordability, voting rights, and multi-generational wealth transfer opportunities through share ownership.
• Freedom West Senior Building

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.2 billion in one-time economic output from construction
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MacFarlane PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2020Master developer for Freedom West 2.0 revitalization project. Led by Victor MacFarlane (Founder and Chairman) and Landon Taylor (CEO of Investment Management Group). Founded in 1987, San Francisco-based real estate investment management and development firm. Provides development expertise and has committed to 15% net profit sharing with the Freedom West cooperative.
• Avanath Capital ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 November 2020Co-development partner alongside MacFarlane Partners. Privately held vertically integrated investment firm managing real estate investments. Led by Daryl J. Carter (Chairman and CEO). Serves as management agent for the property.
• Legacy First PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead advisor to Freedom West Homes Corp. Co-founded by Landon Taylor who served as lead advisor since 2018 to stabilize the co-op. Guided the development of Freedom West 2.0 vision and plan. Facilitated initial community engagement and continues as key strategic advisor.
• Bethel AME ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded the original Freedom West co-op in 1973 through Reverend J. Austell Hall to provide affordable housing for families of color. Made $1 million investment in Freedom West 2.0 in April 2022. Continues as key community partner with Bobby Sisk (Executive Director Business Development) representing the church.
• Goldfarb Lipman AttorneysminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral counsel for Freedom West, providing legal representation and corporate governance advice.
• Institute for the Future (IFTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitated the March 2020 Board Retreat and visioning session with Freedom West Board of Directors. Led by Marina Gorbis (Executive Director) and Ilana Lipsett. Developed Future 50 Design Principles to guide redevelopment. Announced at Parity Zone Symposium 2024 that IFTF will lead creation of post-symposium working group task force.
• Devine and GongminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAffordable housing consultant providing expertise on housing development and financing.
• Marinship Development InterestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner in the broader Freedom West 2.0 development team.
• John Stewart CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDevelopment partner contributing to the revitalization project.
• CommonSpirit HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented at Freedom West 50th Anniversary alongside JP Morgan Chase. Represents innovative public/private partnership model for healthcare and housing integration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Related Companies: One of the largest US developers of affordable and mixed-income housing, including Related Affordable, with a national portfolio of large-scale mixed-use developments. Comparable as a developer of mixed-income master-planned communities including affordable components, though operating at significantly larger scale and including market-rate luxury.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Largest US nonprofit housing organization building affordable homes through volunteer-driven cooperative-style homeownership models. Comparable as a national nonprofit focused on affordable homeownership for low-income families, though operating through a different single-family construction model rather than multi-unit cooperatives.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that invests capital and develops affordable housing, including mixed-use master-planned communities, with deep policy and impact-investing expertise. Comparable as a mission-driven national nonprofit deploying institutional capital into affordable housing at scale.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National nonprofit community development financial institution providing capital, grants, and technical assistance to affordable housing developers and community developers. Directly comparable as a major funder of affordable housing community development, and a current peer institution in Freedom West's capital stack.

Direct peers

• Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA): San Francisco-based nonprofit focused on equitable economic development for Latino and other underserved communities, including affordable housing, small business support, and community asset-building. Directly comparable as a San Francisco nonprofit pursuing community-led equitable development with housing components.
• The John Stewart Company: California-based property management and development firm with deep affordable housing portfolio, and a current Freedom West development partner. Directly comparable as a Bay Area affordable and mixed-income housing operator/developer.
• Chinatown Community Development Center: San Francisco nonprofit providing affordable housing, economic development, and community services in Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods. Comparable as a community-rooted nonprofit developer serving low-income residents with culturally-relevant programming.
• Grounded Solutions Network: National nonprofit membership organization supporting community land trusts and shared equity homeownership models, including limited equity housing cooperatives like Freedom West. Directly comparable as the leading national body supporting the specific cooperative ownership structure Freedom West uses.
• BRIDGE Housing Corporation: One of the largest nonprofit affordable housing developers in California, BRIDGE develops and manages affordable apartment communities for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Directly comparable as a Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing provider at scale.
• Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC): San Francisco nonprofit developer and operator of affordable housing, serving low-income residents in the Tenderloin and throughout the city. Comparable as a Bay Area nonprofit combining affordable housing development with resident services and community-based governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freedom-west-homes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freedom West Homes