Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County

What Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County does

The Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County (HLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in San Mateo, California. HLC works to preserve and expand affordable housing for residents and workers of San Mateo County through a coalition-based advocacy model that includes housing development endorsements, tenant protection programs, policy campaigns, and community organizing across 15+ languages. Core programs include the Affordable Housing Endorsements process (17,264 homes endorsed), the Our Home San Mateo renter defense initiative, Affordable Housing Month and Housing Leadership Day annual events, the 555 Kelly Avenue senior farmworker housing campaign, and the Language Justice Initiative.

HLC's business model is nonprofit and membership-based, funded through individual and organizational membership dues, tax-deductible donations (Tax ID 94-3395945), and likely foundation or government grants. The organization does not sell products or services in a commercial sense; instead, it distributes advocacy services and policy expertise through direct member engagement, coalition partnerships with developers (Midpen Housing, Mercy Housing, Abode Housing, Eden Housing, Alta Housing), community organizing, and public events. A related 501(c)(4) sister entity, Housing Leadership Action (HLA), was formed to support ballot measure campaigns and political advocacy.

HLC is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors and staffed by a team of approximately 8 professionals led by Executive Director Evelyn Stivers. Its measurable impact includes influencing $192 million in Measure K public investment supporting 71 affordable housing developments since 2016 and engaging 5,000+ newsletter subscribers and 160+ annual event attendees.

Name

Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County

Legal name

Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County

Website

https://hlcsmc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Founded in 2001, the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that advocates for affordable housing through endorsements, tenant protection, and coalition organizing serving San Mateo County residents, workers, and housing developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Advocacy

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Administration of Housing Programs (925110)

SIC

Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Rental & Multifamily Housing Finance Programs (LIHTC/Tax Credits/Subsidized Loans) (FSALAKAF), Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

Keywords

• Affordable housing advocacy
• Community organizing
• Housing policy
• Tenant protections
• Coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

San Mateo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Individual and organizational membership dues that provide access to endorsement committees, policy committees, planning committees, networking opportunities, free admission to members-only events, and discounted event tickets.
2. Donations and contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting affordable housing advocacy. Donors become members of HLC. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Tax ID number 94-3395945.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HLC is a 501(c)(3) membership-based nonprofit that advocates for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in San Mateo County. Its core offerings include reviewing and endorsing housing development proposals that include deed-restricted below-market-rate units, operating the Our Home San Mateo renter protection initiative, hosting annual advocacy events, running a Language Justice Initiative, and providing tenant rights education and policy tracking tools.

Product overview

Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County is a 501(c)(3) membership-based nonprofit organization founded in 2001 that operates as a coalition and advocacy organization rather than a technology product company. The organization provides programs including affordable housing endorsements for development projects, the Our Home San Mateo renter protection initiative, annual events (Housing Leadership Day and Affordable Housing Month in May), advocacy campaigns like the 555 Kelly Avenue farmworker housing campaign, tenant education materials (Know Your Rights brochures), a Housing Element Policy Tracker tool, Language Justice Initiative for multilingual accessibility, committee membership programs, and general membership opportunities. These offerings are advocacy programs and community engagement services rather than technology products or software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Endorsements

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,264 total homes endorsed across proposed and approved housing developments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Our Home San MateocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOur Home San Mateo is a program that defends renters and helps stop displacement in San Mateo. The program reports landlord harassment or eviction and provides tenant support through (650) 381-9109 or [email protected]. HLC supports this initiative as part of their anti-displacement advocacy.
• ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALAS is a coalition partner working with HLC on community outreach and resident engagement. They are specifically involved in the 555 Kelly Avenue project in Half Moon Bay, where they will operate the Community Resource Center providing supportive services for senior farmworkers.
• Abode HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbode Housing developed Eucalyptus Grove, an affordable housing community in Burlingame. HLC featured this project during their Affordable Housing Month bus tour and grand opening ceremony.
• CRP Affordable Housing & Community DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRP Affordable Housing & Community Development co-developed Eucalyptus Grove with Abode Housing in Burlingame. This was featured during HLC's Affordable Housing Month events.
• Midpen HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidpen Housing developed Colibri Commons in East Palo Alto with EPACANDO. This affordable housing development celebrated its grand opening during HLC's Affordable Housing Month in May 2026.
• EPACANDOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPACANDO co-developed Colibri Commons with Midpen Housing in East Palo Alto, celebrating grand opening during HLC's Affordable Housing Month 2026.
• Sobrato Palo AltominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSobrato Palo Alto generously provided the space for HLC's week-long interpreter training program. The training was conducted by Noemi Gonzalez-Rocha from The Community Interpreter International to advance language justice initiatives.
• HIP HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHLC has a relationship with HIP Housing for Atherton's ADU match program, helping connect local employees to lower-cost accessory dwelling units as part of housing element compliance efforts.
• Mercy HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy Housing is the developer for the 555 Kelly Avenue project in Half Moon Bay, a 40-home affordable senior farmworker housing development. HLC has been actively advocating for the project approval and defending it against opposition.
• California Housing Partnership CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCalifornia Housing Partnership Corporation researched and wrote the report on Measure K's impact on affordable housing in San Mateo County. This report demonstrates the outcomes of public investment in housing.
• San Mateo County Department of HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Housing provided data for the Measure K impact report. HLC works closely with the county on housing element updates, policy advocacy, and Measure K funding administration.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer developing the 555 Kelly Avenue senior farmworker project that HLC has actively championed. Direct operating partner on the most prominent HLC campaign.
• MidPen Housing: Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing developer that built Colibri Commons in East Palo Alto featured at HLC's Affordable Housing Month. Ecosystem peer that depends on HLC's advocacy and endorsement process to advance affordable housing developments.
• Eden Housing: Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing developer. HLC board Vice President Tami Strauss is Associate Director of Real Estate Development at Eden Housing, illustrating the deep partnership between advocacy and developer ecosystems; Eden is a co-developer of many HLC-endorsed projects.
• HIP Housing: San Mateo County-based nonprofit housing organization that partners with HLC on Atherton's ADU match program. Local housing services peer serving overlapping residents and county geography.

Direct peers

• East Bay Housing Organizations: Regional affordable housing advocacy coalition for the East Bay. Closely comparable operating model: membership-based nonprofit, community organizing, policy advocacy, and affordable housing endorsements for member developers across multiple jurisdictions.
• Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing: Regional affordable housing advocacy organization for Southern California. Closely comparable membership/coalition nonprofit model focused on advocacy, policy, and supporting affordable housing developers across a multi-county region.
• San Diego Housing Federation: Regional affordable housing advocacy organization in San Diego County. Comparable county-wide membership, policy advocacy, and developer coalition model targeting affordable housing creation and tenant protections.
• Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California: Statewide nonprofit housing advocacy coalition serving Northern California. Directly comparable mission of policy advocacy, coalition building, and affordable housing development support; an HLC board member (Bill Barnes) is even drawn from NPH's leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Housing California: Statewide affordable housing advocacy coalition. Operates at the California state level with similar policy advocacy, coalition building, and lobbying activities but with a broader statewide scope versus HLC's single-county focus.
• California Housing Partnership Corporation: Statewide nonprofit that conducts research, policy analysis, and technical assistance on affordable housing. Closely related through HLC's Measure K impact report collaboration; broader geographic and analytical scope but overlapping policy advocacy mission.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hlc_sanmateo
• Facebookfacebook.com/hlcsmc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/housing-leadership-council-of-san-mateo-county

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

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 Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County