What Self-Help Enterprises does

Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) is a Visalia, California-based nonprofit community development corporation founded in 1965 that operates across nine San Joaquin Valley counties (Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, and Tulare). It is the pioneer and leading provider of Mutual Self-Help Housing in the United States, a methodology in which groups of low-income families collectively build each other's homes under skilled onsite supervision, contributing sweat equity (minimum 40 hours per week) in lieu of a conventional cash down payment. Since founding, SHE has helped more than 6,400 families build their own homes, rehabilitated over 6,800 unsafe homes, and developed more than 2,000 units of affordable rental housing.

The organization runs a portfolio of integrated programs: Mutual Self-Help Housing (homeownership via sweat equity and USDA 502 Direct mortgages with effective interest rates as low as 1%), Affordable Rental Communities (with on-site services for families earning 15–60% of area median income), Housing Rehabilitation (health and safety repairs for low-income homeowners), Community Development (technical assistance for water and sewer systems in 160+ small communities serving 33,000+ individuals), Sustainable Energy Solutions (clean energy and transportation infrastructure), Emergency Services (well drilling, drought relief, disaster response — 194 wells drilled in 2024 alone), Professional Services (consulting and contract administration for cities, counties, and institutional partners), and Financial Assistance Programs (down payment assistance, gap financing). Core technology consists of the proprietary Mutual Self-Help Housing methodology, zero-net energy home designs (solar PV, water conservation, universal design), and emergency water tank/pump systems for drought-impacted households.

SHE's business model is a nonprofit grant-and-finance stack: revenue is assembled from federal sources (USDA Rural Development, CTCAC LIHTC awards), California state programs (HCD CalHome, State Water Resources Control Board SAFER), county/city contributions (e.g., $1.4M from City of Fresno, $6.5M Bakersfield CLT contract), corporate and foundation grants ($4M Health Net for Morris Village, $200K Wells Fargo Priority Markets Award, $14.4M UnitedHealth LIHTC equity plus $1.4M/year resident services for Guardian Village), and program-related lending (e.g., $14,500 zero-interest deferred loans plus $7,500 USDA grants for well replacement). Customers are not charged market rates — services are delivered to families earning below area median income, with affordability engineered through sweat equity, below-market interest rates, and gap financing. The organization employs 232 staff and is led by President and CEO Tom Collishaw.

Name

Self-Help Enterprises

Legal name

Self-Help Enterprises

Website

https://selfhelpenterprises.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Self-Help Enterprises is a Visalia, California-based nonprofit community development corporation that builds affordable housing, develops rental communities, and delivers water and emergency services to low-income families and rural communities across nine San Joaquin Valley counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing and Community Development

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Mutual self-help housing
• Community development programs
• Rural water infrastructure
• Housing rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Visalia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Program Funding: Self-Help Enterprises receives substantial funding through government grants at federal, state, and local levels. Major sources include USDA programs (502 Direct mortgages, Rural Development grants), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), State Water Resources Control Board SAFFER program, and county/city contributions. Funding supports housing development, water infrastructure, and community development projects.
2. Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Partnerships: Enterprise Community Partners and similar investors provide equity capital through Low-Income Housing Tax Credit partnerships for rental housing developments like Guardian Village ($14.4M equity investment).
3. Private Foundation and Corporate Grants: Health Net provided $4M grant for Morris Village development. UnitedHealth Group invested $14.4M in equity plus $1.4M annually for resident health services. Wells Fargo awarded $200,000 Priority Markets Award. These grants support specific project development and ongoing services.
4. Mortgage Lending and Down Payment Assistance: SHE assists applicants with securing loans needed to build homes, including USDA 502 Direct mortgages with sliding scale subsidies (effective interest rates as low as 1%). Down payment assistance programs (e.g., $10,000 SHE Down Payment Assistance) help bridge funding gaps for homebuyers.
5. Professional Services for Government Partners: Housing-related consulting services for cities, counties and other partners. SHE administers funding contracts (e.g., $6.5M funding contract for Bakersfield Community Land Trust) and provides technical assistance for water systems and community development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Self-Help Enterprises is a nonprofit community development organization that helps low-income families and farmworkers in California's San Joaquin Valley build affordable homes through sweat equity, access affordable rental housing, rehabilitate unsafe homes, and obtain clean drinking water and sanitary sewer systems. Core offerings include the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program, rental communities, housing rehabilitation, community development, emergency services, and financial assistance programs.

Product overview

Self-Help Enterprises is a community development organization offering a portfolio of housing and community development programs across nine California counties. The core offerings include the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program (Build Your Own Home) where families build homes together with sweat equity, Rental Communities with resident services, Housing Rehabilitation, Community Development (water and sewer systems), Sustainable Energy Solutions, Emergency Services, and Financial Assistance Programs. The organization also operates Healthy Homes & Communities initiatives focused on sustainability, community building, and health and wellness. This is a multi-service nonprofit housing organization, not a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mutual Self-Help Housing Program
• Rental Communities
• Housing Rehabilitation
• Community Development
• Professional Services
• Financial Assistance Programs
• Sustainable Energy Solutions Connecting disadvantaged communities to resources that provide access to affordable energy and clean transportation infrastructure, including electric vehicle carsharing through Miocar.
• Emergency Services Engaging vulnerable populations around natural disasters, and helping families with water well replacement, water filtration, and access to clean water.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,400 families built their own homes since 1965
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Bakersfield Community Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 August 2024Established in 2024, BCLT selected Self-Help Enterprises to administer a $6.5M funding contract to develop affordable housing on BCLT sites. SHE is developing 14 new homes for first-time, low- and moderate-income buyers using the land trust model where ownership of home is separate from land.
• Salt + Light Works of Tulare CountymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2022SHE partnered with Salt + Light Works to develop The Neighborhood Village in Goshen, CA - the first permanent supportive housing community of its kind for those experiencing homelessness in California. The 52-unit community features fully furnished modular homes with wraparound mental and physical health services. SHE provides development expertise while Salt + Light provides supportive services.
• Redman HomesminorOthers · 25 August 2022Redman Homes supplies the modular housing units for The Neighborhood Village development in Goshen.
• NeighborWorks AmericacoreOthersSelf-Help Enterprises is a proud NeighborWorks network member, joining nearly 250 nonprofit organizations nationwide. NeighborWorks America leads national initiatives like NeighborWorks Week to highlight community-driven housing and revitalization efforts.
• California Vanpool Authority (CalVans)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Miocar, a 100% electric vehicle carsharing service. CalVans provides fleet management, repairs, and maintenance for vehicles stationed at SHE rental communities. SHE provides space for charging stations.
• Family Healthcare NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilt two clinics adjacent to SHE rental communities in Cutler-Orosi (2001) and near rental communities in Goshen (2012), improving healthcare access for residents who may lack transportation.
• Tule River Indian Housing AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHE co-developed Nupchi Xo' Oy, a 40-unit affordable housing project in Porterville for Tule River tribal members (15 single-family homes and 25 townhouses). Awarded $1.1M annual federal tax credits for 10 years. Groundbreaking December 2019, completed March 2021.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity International: The most direct peer — Habitat for Humanity is the largest practitioner of the mutual self-help housing model in the U.S. and operates a comparable sweat-equity homeownership program, often credited alongside SHE for popularizing the methodology.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC): RCAC operates a similar rural community development model across the Western U.S., providing water infrastructure technical assistance, housing development, and capacity building to small disadvantaged communities — directly comparable to SHE's community development and water segments.
• Mercy Housing: One of the largest nonprofit affordable housing developers in the U.S., developing and operating rental housing for low-income families, seniors, and those with special needs — directly comparable to SHE's rental communities and supportive housing segments.
• Community Water Center: A California-based nonprofit that advocates for and implements safe drinking water solutions in the San Joaquin Valley, directly comparable to SHE's water infrastructure, well drilling, and SAFER program delivery segments.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: A national nonprofit that develops and finances affordable housing (including LIHTC equity via Enterprise Community Investment) and partners with developers like SHE on projects such as Guardian Village. It is both a peer operator and a capital partner.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): A large national CDFI and community development intermediary that finances affordable housing and community development projects, comparable in mission and federal-grant-driven funding model though operating at much greater geographic scale.
• Self-Help Credit Union (Center for Community Self-Help): A CDFI and community development lender that finances affordable housing, small business, and community facilities for underserved populations; while not a direct housing operator, it shares the 'self-help' mission lineage and comparable funding models.

Regional players

• BRIDGE Housing: A major California-focused nonprofit affordable housing developer with a portfolio of more than 13,000 homes, comparable to SHE's rental and homeownership programs but concentrated in coastal urban markets rather than the Central Valley.
• The Unity Council: A California-based community development corporation focused on affordable housing, workforce development, and resident services in the San Francisco Bay Area — comparable mission and service-delivery model, different geography.

Others

• NeighborWorks America: The national network that SHE belongs to; it funds and supports nearly 250 affordable housing and community development nonprofits. Relevant as an ecosystem organizer, capital conduit, and peer-set-defining institution rather than a direct operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/selfhelpenterprises
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/self-help-enterprises
• Xx.com/SelfHelpEnt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Self-Help Enterprises