What Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center does

Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 and headquartered at 515 Cortland Avenue in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood, with a second facility at the Excelsior Senior Center on Mission Street. Its mission is to preserve and enhance the ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity of Bernal Heights, the Excelsior, and surrounding neighborhoods, with services directed primarily at low- and moderate-income residents. BHNC operates an integrated portfolio of programs: affordable housing development and asset management (584+ residential units across 18 completed properties held through its affiliate Bernal Heights Housing Corporation, BHHC), senior services delivered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese at two senior centers, an adult employment program focused on monolingual Chinese- and Spanish-speakers, the MYEEP youth employment program serving 150 youth ages 14-17 annually, and Service Connection resident services at Alemany and Holly Court RAD housing sites.

The organization does not operate any proprietary technology platforms; it relies on the City of San Francisco's DAHLIA Housing Portal for affordable housing applications and uses standard web, email, and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Give Lively) for outreach and fundraising. Active development projects include 3300 Mission Street (under construction in 2024, 35 studios) and 3333 Mission Street (approved October 2024, 70 senior units co-developed with Mitchelville Real Estate Group and LIIF).

BHNC's revenue mix combines affordable housing rental income from BHHC's portfolio, City of San Francisco grants and contracts (notably the Department of Disability and Aging Services for senior programs and MOHCD for housing programs), philanthropic foundation support, and individual donations raised through events such as Fiesta on the Hill and the Hillwide Garage Sale. Direct services are provided free of charge; housing rents are income-based, typically 30%-80% of Area Median Income. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and has 11-50 employees supported by 100+ active volunteers, serving 2,000+ community members annually across all programs.

Name

Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center

Legal name

Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center

Website

https://bhnc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center is a San Francisco 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and manages affordable housing (584+ units via affiliate BHHC), runs senior, youth, and adult employment programs, and delivers on-site resident services to low- and moderate-income residents across Bernal Heights and surrounding neighborhoods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Affordable Housing Rentals: BHHC (affiliate) generates revenue through affordable housing rentals across 584 residential units, with rents set based on tenant income levels (typically 30%-80% AMI).
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Funded by City of San Francisco's Department of Disability and Aging Services for senior programs, Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development for housing programs.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including Fiesta on the Hill (major fundraiser) and Hillwide Garage Sale. Accepts charitable donations through Give Lively platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BHNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops, preserves, and manages affordable housing (584+ units across 18 developments via affiliate BHHC) and delivers direct community services including senior programs (food pantries, wellness classes), adult employment assistance, youth services through MYEEP (ages 14-17), and resident service coordination at RAD housing sites. Services are offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese across two senior centers and multiple housing properties in San Francisco's Bernal Heights, Excelsior, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Product overview

Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC) operates as a community services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include an Affordable Housing Program (managing 18+ properties with 584+ units through affiliate BHHC), Senior Programs (food assistance and wellness services at two senior centers), Adult Employment (job readiness services), Youth Services through MYEEP (youth employment for ages 14-17), and Service Connection (resident services at RAD housing sites). The housing portfolio serves various populations including families, seniors, adults with disabilities, and formerly homeless individuals. Services are delivered in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese) and funded through City partnerships and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ people served each year across all programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bernal Heights Housing Corporation (BHHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHHC is BHNC's affiliate organization that owns and operates the properties in its portfolio. BHHC develops, preserves, and rehabilitates affordable homes throughout San Francisco with 584 residential units across 18 completed developments.
• Tabernacle Community Development Corporation (TCDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on 3300 Mission Street project. Initial focus was economic development, youth education, and job skills training, now expanded to developing affordable rental units with emphasis on keeping Black families in San Francisco.
• Mitchelville Real Estate Group (MREG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on 3333 Mission Street project. Formed in June 2019 focused on preservation, acquisition and construction of affordable, workforce and mixed-income housing for vulnerable populations.
• Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on 3333 Mission Street 100% affordable senior housing development.
• Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD)coreOthersCity agency partner supporting residents with affordable housing opportunities and essential services. Key partner in housing developments and Section 8 referrals.
• Guzman Construction GroupminorOthersGeneral contractor for 3300 Mission Street construction. Certified Local, Minority-Owned contractor for San Francisco with 30+ years experience on multi-family, healthcare, and K-12 education projects.
• Plant Construction Company, L.P.minorOthersGeneral contractor for 3300 Mission Street. San Francisco-based firm providing general contracting and construction management services since 1947.
• BRIDGE HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on Holly Courts Apartments, Alemany Apartments, and Coleridge Park Senior Homes properties.
• Mission Housing Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on Positive Match and Crocker Amazon Senior Apartments properties.
• Golden Gate Regional CenterminorOthersMakes referrals for Woolsey Street Apartments which provides supportive accessible housing for very low-income households with adults with developmental disabilities.
• San Francisco Marin Food BankcoreOthersWeekly food pantry partnership distributing fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and other pantry items at four weekly food pantries.
• City of San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging ServicescoreOthersPrimary funder for Senior Programs serving over 1,000 multilingual residents annually at Cortland and Excelsior Senior Centers.
• San Francisco Housing AuthoritycoreOthersSection 8 referral partner for multiple housing properties including Alemany, Holly Courts, Bernal Gateway, and others.
• Arc of San Francisco, Arriba Juntos, Community College of SF, Community Music Center, Community Technology Network, LDVALI Line DancingminorOthersCommunity partners providing wellness classes, educational programs, and services at senior centers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BRIDGE Housing: Bay Area-focused nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator. Direct peer as an existing co-development partner (Holly Courts, Alemany, Coleridge Park) with similar LIHTC-financed portfolio model and SF service-area overlap.
• Mission Housing Development Corporation: SF nonprofit affordable housing developer and asset manager. Direct peer as co-developer on Positive Match and Crocker Amazon Senior Apartments, sharing the same MOHCD-funded, mixed-population housing model in adjacent Mission/Excelsior neighborhoods.
• Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC): SF nonprofit that develops and manages affordable housing while providing wrap-around services to low-income residents. Highly comparable operating model — combining housing development with on-site resident services and community programming.
• Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA): SF Mission-based CDFI and community development nonprofit offering housing, small business, and asset-building services to Latino families. Direct peer as a Mission-district-rooted nonprofit addressing displacement and economic inclusion.
• Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC): SF nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider serving Chinatown and adjacent neighborhoods. Direct peer — comparable affordable housing portfolio, multilingual services, and immigrant-population focus.
• Tabernacle Community Development Corporation: SF-based affordable housing and community development nonprofit co-developing 3300 Mission with BHNC. Direct peer as a fellow Black-community-anchored CDC with overlapping LIHTC-financed housing and youth economic development programs.

Broad incumbents

• Self-Help for the Elderly: San Francisco/Bay Area nonprofit providing multilingual senior services, meals, case management, and housing. Broad-incumbent peer with significant overlap in senior food assistance, wellness, and referral programs that complement BHNC's senior centers.
• Catholic Charities of San Francisco: Large regional nonprofit providing housing stability, immigration, senior, and youth services across the Bay Area. Broad-incumbent peer — overlapping service lines (housing navigation, seniors, youth) at greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator with a sizable California portfolio. Broad-incumbent peer — comparable LIHTC-driven multifamily model, supportive housing, and resident services orientation at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Glide Foundation: SF Tenderloin-based nonprofit providing social services, housing support, and meals to low-income residents. Regional peer with overlapping social-services and housing-stabilization mission but focused on a different SF neighborhood.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bhncjoin
• Instagraminstagram.com/bhncsf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/703915

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center