Community Housing Fund

What Community Housing Fund does

Community Housing Fund (CHF) is a Beaverton, Oregon-based nonprofit organization founded in 2003 that operates as a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused exclusively on Washington County, Oregon. Its mission is to seed more equitable housing outcomes by providing early-stage development financing for affordable housing and community facilities at the point in the project lifecycle when few other financial partners are engaged. The organization serves three primary user groups: housing developers seeking predevelopment and feasibility-stage capital, peer lenders and financial institutions looking for co-financing partners, and community services providers and residents in need of technical assistance and housing resources.

CHF's product surface is structured around three offerings: (1) Lending — early-stage debt for multi-family housing, community facilities, and single-family homes; (2) Technical Assistance — advisory support for borrowers, local jurisdictions, and community groups pursuing equitable housing; and (3) Housing Tools / Housing Resources — a public-facing resource hub (available in English and Spanish) for residents seeking affordable housing. The organization extends its reach through a dense, board-mediated partnership network that includes Portland Housing Center, Proud Ground, Craft3 (which seeds CHF's New Markets Tax Credit capability), Housing Development Center, CASA of Oregon, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, Umpqua Bank, Reinvestment Fund, Washington County Office of Community Development, and the City of Hillsboro.

As a nonprofit, CHF's revenue mechanics differ from a commercial lender: it is funded through grants, donations (a Network for Good donation link is published on its website), and interest income from its loan portfolio, with pricing on individual transactions set through borrower-specific feasibility discussions rather than published rate cards. Distribution is direct, through its single Beaverton office, supported by referral flow from partner organizations. The organization is led by Executive Director Aubré Dickson (joined June 2024) with Lending and Relationships Manager Mandie Ludlam (since 2017), operating with a 1–10 person staff.

Name

Community Housing Fund

Legal name

Community Housing Fund

Website

https://thecommunityhousingfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Housing Fund is a Beaverton, Oregon nonprofit CDFI providing early-stage lending, technical assistance, and housing resources to support affordable and equitable housing development in Washington County, Oregon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Lending

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Rental & Multifamily Housing Finance Programs (LIHTC/Tax Credits/Subsidized Loans) (FSALAKAF)

Keywords

• Community development lending
• Affordable housing finance
• CDFI lending
• Predevelopment financing
• Housing technical assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaverton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Community Housing Fund (CHF) is a Certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing early-stage development financing for affordable housing projects in Washington County, Oregon. It offers three core programs: Lending (predevelopment financing for multi-family housing, community facilities, and single-family homes during feasibility analysis), Technical Assistance (advisory support for borrowers, local jurisdictions, and community groups on equitable housing outcomes), and Housing Tools/Housing Resources (consumer-facing information for residents seeking affordable housing). CHF operates from Beaverton, Oregon.

Product overview

Community Housing Fund (CHF) is a lender and advocate organization providing three core services: Lending (early-stage development financing for affordable housing), Technical Assistance (support for borrowers and jurisdictions), and Housing Tools/Resources (information for those seeking affordable housing). CHF is a Certified CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) focused on Washington County, Oregon, working to ensure equitable housing outcomes through financing multi-family housing, community facilities, and single-family homes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lending Early-stage development financing for affordable housing and community facility projects when feasibility analysis is just beginning and few other financial partners are available. CHF lends across Multi-Family Housing, Community Facilities, and Single-Family Homes categories for property developers, nonprofits, and public agencies in Washington County, Oregon.
• Technical Assistance Support services for borrowers, local jurisdictions, community members, and groups interested in promoting equitable and affordable housing outcomes. Provided as part of CHF's CDFI mission to housing developers, lenders, community services providers, and local government partners in Washington County, Oregon.
• Housing Tools / Housing Resources Resources and tools for individuals and families seeking affordable housing information and assistance in Washington County, Oregon, including Spanish-language resources. Targeted at residents facing limited access to safe, affordable housing.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Portland Housing CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland Housing Center is a NeighborWorks homeownership center providing educational and financial services to promote homeownership in underserved communities. CHF board member Jessenia Juarez serves as Lending Director at Portland Housing Center, and Orrick attorney Mike Schrader serves on its board.
• Proud GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud Ground is a community land trust organization expanding homeownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income families. Executive Director Dominique Merriweather serves on CHF committees.
• Craft3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft3 is a CDFI and New Markets Tax Credit allocator. Steven Phan serves as CHF's New Markets Tax Credit Director and previously worked at Craft3.
• Housing Development CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing Development Center brings affordable housing projects to fruition and fosters partnerships between nonprofit developers and culturally specific service organizations. CHF committee member Anita Punja works at HDC.
• CASA of OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASA of Oregon helps nonprofits and public agencies meet needs of low-income families, particularly rural farmworker housing. Executive Director Peter Hainley serves on CHF Finance Committee.
• Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOrrick is a law firm with a nationally-recognized Public Finance Department. Senior Partner Mike Schrader provides bond and financing legal work for CHF and represents Oregon Housing and Community Services.
• Washington County Office of Community DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington County's Office of Community Development manages housing and community development programs. Chair Shannon Wilson serves as the Office Manager, bringing county-level coordination to CHF initiatives.
• City of HillsborocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Hillsboro implements affordable housing policies and programs including the Regional Affordable Housing Bond. Senior Project Manager Chris Hartye serves on CHF committees.
• Oregon Public Health InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPHI focuses on organization capacity building and staff management. Deputy Director Eden Lopez serves on CHF committees, representing public health perspective on housing.
• The ContingentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Contingent provides operational support for housing and social justice initiatives. COO Felicia Tripp-Folsom serves as Immediate Past Chair on CHF Executive Committee.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CASA of Oregon: CASA of Oregon supports nonprofit and public-sector affordable housing (notably rural farmworker housing) with lending, technical assistance, and capacity-building—mirroring CHF's blend of financing and community development services.
• Craft3: Craft3 is a Pacific Northwest CDFI and New Markets Tax Credit allocator providing loans and investments for nonprofits, sustainable businesses, and affordable housing. It is CHF's closest direct peer, and CHF board member Steven Phan previously worked at Craft3.
• Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH): NOAH is an Oregon-based nonprofit providing financing and technical assistance for affordable housing and community facilities, operating a multifamily rental loan fund and capacity-building programs—closely mirroring CHF's mission and product set.
• Proud Ground: Proud Ground is a Portland-area community land trust expanding homeownership for low- and moderate-income families. It is a CHF strategic partner with overlapping leadership and a comparable affordable-housing mission in the same metro.
• Housing Development Center (Oregon): HDC is a regional nonprofit that brings affordable housing projects to fruition and supports nonprofit developers across Oregon. It is functionally adjacent to CHF, addressing similar borrowers and projects in the same market.
• Portland Housing Center: Portland Housing Center is a NeighborWorks homeownership center offering lending and educational services to underserved buyers. It shares CHF's geographic focus, equity framing, and partner overlap on CHF's board.
• Housing Authority of Washington County: HAWC is the local public housing authority serving Washington County, Oregon, administering vouchers and affordable housing programs. It is the primary public-sector counterpart to CHF's mission within the same single-county geography.
• Mercy Corps Northwest: Mercy Corps Northwest operates a CDFI-style small-business and community loan fund serving Oregon and Washington. It is a comparable CDFI lender with technical-assistance programs targeting underserved communities.

Regional players

• Reinvestment Fund: Reinvestment Fund is a mission-driven national CDFI that finances housing, community facilities, and charter schools nationwide, with a Pacific Northwest presence via board member Grace Chang. It is a broader peer operating at much larger scale than CHF.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit developer and CDFI that finances and builds affordable and mixed-income housing. It is a much larger incumbent operating the same affordable-housing finance model in markets that include Oregon.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/commhousingfund

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Community Housing Fund