The Reuse People

What The Reuse People does

The Reuse People of America (TRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that operates an integrated deconstruction, salvage, retail, and training platform aimed at diverting construction-and-demolition waste from landfills. TRP's core service line involves the systematic, reverse-order dismantling of residential and commercial structures to recover reusable building materials (lumber, cabinets, doors, windows, fixtures, appliances) in saleable condition, distinguishing deconstruction from conventional demolition. Recovered materials are channeled through a network of 12 regional retail warehouses and an e-commerce storefront (shop.thereusepeople.org), while qualifying in-kind donations are processed through an IRS-qualified appraisal workflow that produces Form 8282-compliant documentation enabling donors to claim substantial tax deductions ($50,000-$90,000 per typical 2,300 sq ft home). Supporting operations include a material weight and inventory tracking system that enables municipal diversion measurement, and standardized on-site deconstruction and salvage surveys used as the operational link between building owners, contractors, retailers, and appraisers.

Name

The Reuse People

Legal name

The ReUse People of America

Website

https://thereusepeople.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Reuse People is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1993 that performs residential and commercial deconstruction, sells salvaged building materials through 12 regional retail warehouses, and delivers training, contractor certification, and consulting via its ReUse Institute arm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Deconstruction & Salvaged Materials

NAICS

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Deconstruction & Salvage (Building Material Reuse) (EUAIAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC), Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI), Deconstruction & Salvage (Building Materials Reuse) (BPALAJAI)

Keywords

• Building deconstruction services
• Salvaged building materials
• Construction waste diversion
• Deconstruction contractor training
• Reclaimed lumber retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail sales of salvaged building materials: One-time / transactional sales of reclaimed lumber, cabinets, doors, windows, appliances, fixtures, and architectural elements via 12 regional retail warehouses and online shop. Lumber historically 25–30% of retail sales, dropping to 15% in the past 12 months as fixture sales grew.
2. Consulting & project management services: Provided through The ReUse Institute (TRI): reuse and recycling plan creation, deconstruction/demolition project oversight, IRS-qualified appraisal coordination, and diversion reporting for LEED and ESG compliance on commercial projects.
3. Training programs and workshops: Fee-based deconstruction workshops, worker trainings (e.g., 12-day San Mateo County program), contractor training, retail training, and webinars delivered through The ReUse Institute.
4. Donations and fundraising: 501(c)3 nonprofit relies on monetary donations, building-material donations, and volunteer support via fundraising page; complements earned revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Reuse People (TRP) dismantles residential and commercial buildings through deconstruction rather than demolition, recovering reusable components such as lumber, cabinets, doors, windows, and fixtures for resale at its network of 12 regional retail warehouses and online shop. The organization also processes IRS-qualified in-kind donations of salvaged materials on behalf of donors and operates The ReUse Institute (TRI), which delivers deconstruction training, contractor certification, worker training, and consulting services to municipalities, building owners, and contractors.

Product overview

The Reuse People (TRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of green-building services anchored around deconstruction rather than demolition. Its core services include Residential Deconstruction and Commercial Deconstruction, which dismantle structures and salvage reusable materials, a Building Materials Donation Program that processes IRS-qualified in-kind donations, and the TRP Retail Warehouse network (including an online shop) where salvaged materials are resold. Supporting these core services is The ReUse Institute (TRI), TRP's training and consulting arm, which delivers Deconstruction Training, Worker Training, Contractor Training / Certification, Retail Training, and broader Consulting & Project Management Services (including reuse and recycling plans). Regional extensions of this portfolio include the Michigan Deconstruction Collaborative and the Building ReSources of San Francisco (BRSF) retail operation. Together these offerings form a single integrated service line that connects deconstruction contractors → material recovery → donation/appraisal → retail/training reuse.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The ReUse Institute (TRI): TRP's training, consulting, and project management arm offering deconstruction workshops, worker trainings, and reuse/recycling plan consulting

Products and services

• Residential Deconstruction Careful dismantling of single-family and residential structures to salvage reusable building materials rather than demolish them, channeling components back into the marketplace via TRP's retail outlets; supports tax-deductible in-kind donation via IRS-qualified appraisal.
• Commercial Deconstruction Deconstruction services for commercial buildings, including a no-cost on-site survey to identify reusable materials such as doors, cabinetry, plumbing and lighting fixtures, flooring, and framing lumber; may include IRS-qualified appraisals to enable tax-deductible donation and LEED/ESG diversion reporting.
• TRP Retail Warehouse — Salvaged Building Materials Network of 12 regional physical retail outlets plus the online shop (shop.thereusepeople.org) selling reclaimed lumber, cabinets, toilets, sinks, doors, windows, appliances, lighting, flooring, hardware, and other salvaged building materials to DIY homeowners, remodelers, contractors, and the public.
• Building Materials Donation Program Coordination of tax-deductible in-kind donations of salvaged building materials to TRP, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, supported by IRS-qualified appraisals of donated materials to enable Form 8282-compliant documentation and donor tax deductions.
• The ReUse Institute (TRI) — Training and Consulting TRP's training and consulting arm offering deconstruction workshops, worker and contractor certification, consulting, project management services, and reuse and recycling plan development for municipalities, institutions, and private clients.
• Deconstruction Training Workshops and multi-day training programs covering deconstruction techniques and value preservation for residential and commercial structures, delivered through The ReUse Institute (TRI).
• Worker Training Program Hands-on deconstruction worker training for unemployed, underemployed, and disadvantaged workers, including multi-day programs such as the San Mateo County 12-day deconstruction training, delivered through The ReUse Institute.
• Contractor Training and CDC Certification Training and certification program for deconstruction contractors (Certified Deconstruction Contractors / CDCs), qualifying contractors to plan and execute deconstruction projects to TRP's specifications; CDC status is referenced in municipal deconstruction bylaws including Victoria, BC.
• Retail Training Training for staff and partners operating retail outlets that sell salvaged building materials, delivered through The ReUse Institute.
• Consulting and Project Management Services Advisory services delivered through The ReUse Institute covering reuse and recycling plans, deconstruction and demolition oversight, contractor qualification, material assessments, and logistical coordination for commercial and residential projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 houses and buildings deconstructed
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Marcan EnterprisesflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn 2019 TRP dissolved its in-house deconstruction division to avoid competing with the Bay Area TRP-certified deconstruction contractors (CDCs) it trained, transferring all deconstruction personnel and assets to Marcan Enterprises, TRP's first CDC. The arrangement has worked out very well, with Marcan serving as TRP's primary execution arm for residential deconstruction in the Bay Area.
• Michigan State University (Center for Community and Economic Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU CCED, via Director Rex LaMore and Project Coordinator Nathaniel Hooper, brought TRP in as advisor to the MSU Domicology Consultive Panel and co-founded the Michigan Deconstruction Collaborative. MSU supports sustainability analysis (carbon units, embodied energy) and market assessments and secured a grant from Michigan EGLE for the first worker training.
• American Classic ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMuskegon-based TRP Certified Deconstruction Contractor and anchor of the Michigan Deconstruction Collaborative. Supervisors participate in TRP training; up to 10 trained workers are offered full-time positions with American Classic upon successful course completion.
• Muskegon Land BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided houses (including one in Muskegon) for use in deconstruction trainings led by the Michigan Deconstruction Collaborative, enabling hands-on practice and additional future-training inventory.
• Building ReSources of San Francisco (BRSF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner retail facility created under a San Francisco REP from the former San Francisco Community Recyclers; TRP retained the existing retail staff and appointed Chris Sanor as Retail Manager. BRSF increased its receipt and distribution of locally salvaged materials by 37.9% after the takeover, with TRP's business practices, organization, and marketing brought in.
• StopWaste.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt the request of StopWaste.org and the San Francisco Department of Environment, TRP participated in a study on the viability of a relocatable distribution center for commercial salvaged materials; results published in the 'StopWaste Book'. TRP contributed research and information on current salvage practices.
• San Francisco Department of EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor with StopWaste.org of the relocatable commercial-materials distribution center study that produced the StopWaste Book; engaged TRP for research and current-practice input.
• Gensler (with Madrone)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitectural firm Gensler, working with commercial deconstruction company Madrone, spearheaded the relocatable distribution center study. TRP provided supporting research for the published 'StopWaste Book'.
• Deconstruction and Reuse Network (DRN)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for material-assessment work on large commercial projects; collaborated with TRP on a 1.1 million square foot salvageable-materials identification report delivered in three weeks.
• Pitkin County, Colorado (Community Development)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngaged The ReUse Institute for a two-day deconstruction workshop attended by 50+ contractors, architects, county employees, and other salvage/waste-diversion stakeholders.
• San Mateo County (Office of Sustainability)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFirst engaged TRI in 2019 for a worker-training series; the program resumed post-COVID with a 12-day deconstruction training in Portola Valley, CA (Nov 29–Dec 14, 2021), including hands-on deconstruction of a 2,000 sq ft ranch house.
• Yelton CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject partner on The Matrix trilogy deconstruction at the old Alameda Naval Air Station: TRP crews handled reusable-material recovery while Yelton performed heavy lifting — removing bridge steel, regrading ramps, breaking up three 1.3-mile concrete barriers, and grinding concrete into base rock.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Operates ~50-100 retail stores selling donated and salvaged building materials to DIY homeowners and contractors, supported by a 501(c)3 donation model. Closest direct competitor in the consumer-facing salvaged-materials retail segment, and explicitly benchmarked in TRP's own market-size data.
• Second Chance Inc. Baltimore-based nonprofit providing deconstruction services and a retail warehouse of salvaged building materials, plus job-training programming. Operates the same integrated deconstruction-plus-retail-plus-workforce-training model as TRP.
• The Loading Dock: Maryland-based nonprofit that salvages building materials from deconstructed buildings and resells them at low cost. Same nonprofit deconstruction-plus-retail model as TRP, including workforce-development training for disadvantaged workers.
• Community Forklift: Hyattsville, MD-based nonprofit reuse center selling salvaged and surplus building materials, home goods, and appliances to the public. Same 501(c)3 reuse-retail value proposition and donor-driven supply chain as TRP's warehouses.
• Big Reuse: New York City-based nonprofit operating a retail warehouse selling salvaged and surplus building materials, with an explicit mission to divert construction debris from landfill. Directly comparable retail/diverting-materials model to TRP in an urban market.
• EcoBuilding Bargains: Springfield, MA-based reuse store operated by the Center for EcoTechnology, selling salvaged and surplus building materials to the public. Same retail-reuse nonprofit model and customer base as TRP's retail warehouses.
• Build Reuse: National membership association for building-materials reuse organizations, with ~108 member groups. Functions as the industry trade body for TRP and its peers; TRP is an active member and contributor.
• Marcan Enterprises: Bay Area TRP-certified deconstruction contractor (CDC) that absorbed TRP's in-house deconstruction crew in 2019 and now serves as TRP's primary execution arm. Most direct comparable for the actual deconstruction-services line that TRP no longer self-performs.

Others

• Deconstruction & Reuse Network (DRN): Industry partner and collaborator on large commercial material-assessment projects (e.g., 1.1M sq ft salvageable-materials report). Functions more as an ecosystem partner than a direct retail competitor, but operates in the same deconstruction/reuse services space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Pinterestpinterest.com/thereusepeople
• Xx.com/ReUsePeople

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 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 The Reuse People