DeSales Community Development

What DeSales Community Development does

DeSales Community Development is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 and headquartered at 2759 Russell Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri. The organization acquires, develops, and preserves affordable housing in historically disinvested neighborhoods including Fox Park, Tower Grove East, Benton Park West, Carondelet, Dutchtown, The Ville, and Greater Ville. Its core product portfolio includes LIHTC-financed developments such as DeSales Preservation (65 units), DeSales Preservation II (71 units under renovation after a December 2024 MHDC award), DeSales Impact 2014 (36 units at 60% AMI), Virginia Plaza (78 mixed-income units), and Benton Park Place (49 senior units), totaling roughly 300+ affordable housing units.

The organization's operational stack rests on a wholly-owned property management subsidiary, Fox Grove Management (formed 2004), which delivers leasing, maintenance, and on-site Community Services Coordination connecting residents to rental/utility assistance, food resources, health services, and employment navigation. Supplementary programs include the Here to Stay eviction prevention initiative, the DeSales Community Garden (24 beds), the Vacancy Initiative (legal action against abandoned properties), and homeownership pathway partnerships with St. Joseph Housing Initiative, Prosperity Connection, and LifeWise STL. Underlying technology is non-proprietary and limited to a Squarespace website, an Interactive History Map, and standard property management tooling; there are no software products or AI/ML capabilities.

DeSales generates revenue through four streams: Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity via MHDC and CDA (including a $2.7M CDA award in 2022), recurring rental income from the owned affordable housing portfolio, government grants, and individual/corporate donations plus event sponsorships. Pricing is income-based at 30% and 60% AMI thresholds rather than market-rate. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and has no parent company, no equity investors, and no disclosed VC/PE backing.

Name

DeSales Community Development

Legal name

DeSales Community Development

Website

https://desalescd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DeSales Community Development is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1976 that develops, preserves, and manages roughly 300+ affordable housing units across multiple St. Louis neighborhoods while providing on-site resident services including eviction prevention, rental assistance, and resource navigation to low-income households at 30% and 60% AMI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing & Community Development

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), 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 industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO), Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI), Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Community development services
• Property management
• Historic preservation
• Eviction prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC): Primary revenue source through federal and state tax credit programs for affordable housing development. Projects like DeSales Preservation (65 units) and DeSales Preservation II (71 units) are funded through MHDC LIHTC awards.
2. Rental Income: Ongoing rental revenue from owned affordable housing properties including Fox Grove Management portfolio of apartments and townhouses
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations to support community programs, resident services, and development activities; donor privacy policy in place
4. Government Grants and Funding: CDA announced $2.7 million in funding awards for three LIHTC projects creating affordable housing units; other government grants from MHDC, CDA, and local agencies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DeSales Community Development is a nonprofit organization that develops, preserves, and manages affordable housing in St. Louis neighborhoods while providing direct resident services such as community services coordination, eviction prevention, and resource navigation. It also runs historic preservation projects and operates a community garden program to support neighborhood stabilization.

Product overview

DeSales Community Development is a community-based nonprofit that operates a portfolio of affordable housing programs and property management services, not a unified software platform. Its core offerings include: DeSales Preservation (65-unit LIHTC project), DeSales Preservation II (71-unit renovation across 28 historic buildings), DeSales Impact 2014 (36 apartments/townhouses), DeSales Impact SFE (2 single-family home rehabilitations), Virginia Plaza (78-unit mixed-income development), and Benton Park Place (49-unit senior housing). These housing development programs are complemented by Fox Grove Management (property management subsidiary founded 2004), Community Services Coordination (resident resource navigation), the DeSales Community Garden (24 garden beds), and the Here to Stay eviction prevention program. The organization does not offer a software product but rather delivers community development services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fox Grove Management: Property management company formed by DeSales Community Development in 2004 to provide socially responsible property management for its affordable housing portfolio.

Products and services

• DeSales Preservation

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130 affordable housing units created or preserved through recent LIHTC awards
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)minorOthersEPA assisted DeSales with hazardous materials removal at 2501 Texas property in Fox Park. EPA estimated $1.3 million for removal of over 10,000 gallons of hazardous liquid from site formerly used as bumper plating business.
• Legal Services of Eastern MissouricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services of Eastern Missouri supports DeSales vacancy initiative through lawsuits under Missouri's abandoned property act. Assisted with obtaining title to properties like 3543 Victor through Neighborhood Advocacy Program.
• Seed St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeed St. Louis provides support for DeSales Community Garden, helping residents access fresh produce and community green space in the 2600 block of California Ave.
• St. Louis Vacancy CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeSales joined the Vacancy Collaborative to identify properties for intervention and work to get vacant properties into responsible rehabbers' hands. Collaborative addresses vacancy and abandonment across St. Louis.
• Messiah Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSC office hours held at Messiah Community Center (2801 Magnolia Ave) providing accessible location for Fox Grove residents to receive services.
• Prosperity ConnectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial empowerment partner providing credit counseling and financial education to DeSales residents. Connected residents to credit review services to prepare for car loans and financial goals.
• LifeWise STLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial empowerment organization providing classes covering goal setting, budgeting, and credit to DeSales residents participating in eviction prevention programs.
• St. Joseph Housing InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization connecting DeSales residents to homeownership opportunities through Homeownership Academy program for families working toward housing stability.
• Rise Community DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRise Community Development administers the Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative locally, allowing DeSales to acquire foreclosed properties at discounted prices to counteract effects of the 2008 housing crisis.
• E.M. Harris Construction Co.minorOthersGeneral contractor for DeSales Preservation II renovation project.
• Naismith-Allen Inc.minorOthersArchitect for DeSales Preservation II renovation project.
• Spencer Fane LLPminorOthersLegal counsel for DeSales Preservation II project.
• Select DevelopmentminorOthersDevelopment consultant for DeSales Preservation II project.
• Roanoke ConstructionminorOthersConstruction partner for Virginia Plaza development project.
• Fox Grove ManagementcoreOthersProperty management company formed by DeSales in 2004 to ensure sound property management for affordable housing portfolio. Manages multi-family properties in service area with socially responsible approach.
• Gateway Housing FirstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting Benton Park Place senior housing development with permanent supportive housing assistance.
• Home Sweet HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting DeSales Preservation II resident services and programs.
• Messiah Lutheran ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting DeSales Preservation II initiatives and resident programs.
• Landmarks AssociationminorOthersHistoric preservation advocacy organization that awarded Russell Place project for excellent infill construction in historic district (2007).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Gateway Housing First: Gateway Housing First partners with DeSales on Benton Park Place senior housing to provide permanent supportive housing, sharing a focus on deeply affordable housing for vulnerable St. Louis populations.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Housing: Mercy Housing is one of the largest national nonprofit affordable housing developers, operating service-enriched housing similar to DeSales' Community Services Coordination model across senior and family properties.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): LISC is a national community development financial institution providing grants, loans, and technical assistance to CDCs like DeSales, with overlapping funding sources and resident services programming.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that finances and develops affordable and supportive housing via LIHTC syndication and grants, providing the macro-level financial backbone that DeSales accesses for projects.
• Habitat for Humanity St. Louis: Habitat for Humanity St. Louis develops affordable homeownership and rental housing across the region, operating a comparable nonprofit affordable housing model with similar LIHTC and grant-based funding stacks.
• Beyond Housing: Beyond Housing is a larger regional community development corporation serving St. Louis and St. Louis County with comprehensive housing, community development, and human services programs at greater scale than DeSales.

Direct peers

• St. Joseph Housing Initiative: St. Joseph Housing Initiative is a St. Louis nonprofit focused on affordable rental housing and homeownership pathways for low-income families; DeSales residents are referred into St. Joseph's Homeownership Academy, indicating directly comparable service populations.
• Rise Community Development: Rise Community Development is a St. Louis-based community development nonprofit that administers the Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative and works on affordable housing and foreclosed property acquisition, directly overlapping with DeSales' LIHTC and vacancy initiative work.

Others

• Legal Services of Eastern Missouri: Legal Services of Eastern Missouri provides free civil legal aid including housing-related advocacy (abandoned property suits for DeSales), making them an ecosystem partner addressing housing stability from the legal dimension.

Regional players

• Pantheon Properties: Consulting firm supporting affordable housing LIHTC project delivery; while a vendor, it operates in the same project ecosystem supporting similar nonprofit developers on complex financing stacks and historic rehab.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/desalescd
• Facebookfacebook.com/desalescd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desalescd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 DeSales Community Development