Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County

What Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County does

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County (HTF) is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 2004 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, that operates four interconnected programs addressing affordable housing in Santa Barbara County. Its Revolving Loan Fund (approximately $7.4 million) provides below-market interest rate loans to affordable housing sponsors for site acquisition, predevelopment, construction, bridge financing, tax-credit projects, and permanent financing. Its Workforce Homebuyer Program offers deferred or interest-only down payment loans of up to $200,000 in North County and $125,000 in South County to first-time low-to-moderate income buyers. The Housing Innovations Program researches and demonstrates construction technologies to reduce affordable housing costs, including a 3D-printed housing pilot in partnership with Apis Cor. A free Technical Assistance program supports community groups developing affordable housing. HTF serves low-to-moderate income working families, farm workers, senior citizens, homeless persons, persons with developmental disabilities, and other special needs populations across all eight incorporated cities of Santa Barbara County plus unincorporated rural areas.

HTF holds dual federal designations — U.S. Treasury CDFI certification and HUD-approved Non-Profit Secondary Loan Provider status — that unlock federal grant eligibility and below-market-rate lending authority. The organization is funded through a hybrid model combining grants (U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund, State CalHome, County of Santa Barbara, City of Goleta, City of Carpinteria), foundation support (Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, Montecito Bank & Trust, Santa Barbara Foundation, Bank of America), individual and corporate donations, and below-market interest income from its loan portfolio. Distribution is achieved through direct lending by HTF staff, a network of 20+ community lender partnerships for the Revolving Loan Fund, a 19-partner Workforce Homebuyer Program referral network, employer-assisted housing partnerships via Coastal Housing Partnership, and community organization referrals.

Since inception, HTF has raised approximately $13 million in private and public capital and committed $12,972,671 in direct financing to create 535 units of permanently affordable housing, assist 99 first-time homebuyers, and provide technical assistance to 34 community groups. As of 2025, founder Jennifer McGovern retired after 22 years, and Jon Peterson was appointed CEO under a joint management structure with Coastal Housing Partnership. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors with representatives from Alliance Wealth Strategies, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County, Montecito Bank & Trust, Peoples' Self-Help Housing Corporation, and St. Vincent's Santa Barbara.

Name

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County

Legal name

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County

Website

https://sbhousingtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County is a nonprofit CDFI providing below-market loans, down payment assistance, technical assistance, and construction innovation research to expand affordable housing for low-to-moderate income residents across Santa Barbara County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Financial Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSANAJAK

Community Development & Affordable Housing Funds

Financial & Insurance/Private Equity & Venture Capital/Impact / ESG & Sustainable Investment Funds

SECONDARYFSALAKAE

Down Payment Assistance (DPA) & Homebuyer Subsidy Programs

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Housing Finance Agencies & Government-Sponsored Housing Programs

SECONDARYFSALAAAM

Affordable Housing / Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Mortgage Origination

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Residential Mortgage Origination (Retail & Consumer Direct)

SECONDARYFSALAKAO

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Housing Finance Agencies & Government-Sponsored Housing Programs

SECONDARYFSALADAH

Construction & Development (C&D) Lending — Commercial/Multifamily

Financial & Insurance/Mortgage & Housing Finance/Commercial & Multifamily Mortgage Lending

Keywords

• Affordable housing finance
• Community development lending
• Down payment assistance
• CDFI loan programs
• Workforce homeownership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Interest Income: HTF generates revenue through interest on below-market rate loans made through its Revolving Loan Fund for affordable housing production and its Workforce Homebuyer down payment assistance loans. Interest rates are below-market, making this a mission-driven revenue stream rather than a primary profit driver.
2. Grants and Government Funding: HTF receives grant funding from government agencies (U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund, State Department of Housing and Community Development, County of Santa Barbara, City of Goleta, City of Carpinteria) and foundations (Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, Montecito Bank & Trust, Bank of America, etc.) to support operations and program capital.
3. Donations: Individual and corporate donations support HTF's operations and affordable housing programs. Donations can be made online, and the organization accepts property or stock donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that delivers below-market rate loans to affordable housing sponsors and down payment assistance loans to first-time low-to-moderate income homebuyers across Santa Barbara County. It also conducts research on innovative construction technologies such as 3D printed affordable housing and provides free technical assistance to community groups developing affordable housing projects.

Product overview

Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County operates as a non-profit financing agency and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) offering a portfolio of four interconnected programs: the Revolving Loan Fund for Affordable Housing provides low-interest loans to housing sponsors for affordable rental and homeownership projects; the Workforce Homebuyer Program offers down payment assistance loans to help low-to-middle income buyers purchase homes; the Housing Innovations Program researches and demonstrates innovative construction technologies including 3D printed housing; and Technical Assistance provides free support to community groups developing affordable housing projects. Together, these programs address the critical affordable housing needs of Santa Barbara County through financial partnerships between private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Revolving Loan Fund for Affordable Housing A $7.4 million revolving loan fund operated in partnership with community lenders (Erich & Hannah Sachs Foundation, Montecito Bank & Trust, Northern Trust, Pacific Western Bank) that provides below-market interest rate loans to qualified affordable housing sponsors for site acquisition, predevelopment, construction, bridge financing, tax-credit projects, and permanent financing for affordable rental or homeownership housing projects serving low-to-moderate income households earning between 0-120% of Area Median Income in Santa Barbara County.
• Workforce Homebuyer Program A down payment assistance loan program that helps low-to-middle income working families and individuals purchase an entry-level market rate home in the Santa Barbara County community where they work. The North County offering provides 30-year deferred loans up to $200,000 for first-time low-income homebuyers earning up to 80% AMI in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Guadalupe and unincorporated rural areas. The South Coast offering provides 10-year simple interest-only loans up to $125,000 (15-year term for affordable resale restricted homes) targeting lower-to-moderate income workforce homebuyers.
• Housing Innovations Program A research and demonstration program for innovative construction technologies that reduce affordable housing construction costs and encourage sustainability through natural, recycled, climate resilient and fire-resistant building materials and state-of-the-art energy systems. The current flagship initiative is a 3D printed affordable home built using Apis Cor robotics printing technology that produced walls on-site in 24 hours for approximately $10,000 using earthquake-reinforced concrete technology, with the demonstration home designed by RRM Design Group.
• Technical Assistance Free technical assistance provided to community groups to facilitate production of affordable housing, including help understanding local housing needs and the development process, evaluating sponsor capacity to undertake projects, developing employee housing assistance plans, analyzing economic feasibility of proposed projects, and connecting sponsors with development expertise and financing sources. Has been delivered to 34 community groups since inception.

Quantifiable outcome

• 535 units of permanently affordable housing created through $12,972,671 in direct financing since 2004
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 core and supporting.

• Coastal Housing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025HTF and Coastal Housing Partnership (CHP) entered into a joint management structure and collaboration under shared CEO Jon Peterson. Both remain independent agencies but share leadership. Alliance aims to address housing affordability and promote sustainable community development through employer-assisted housing programs and local employer partnerships.
• Apis CorcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Engineering firm providing robotics 3D printing construction technology for the 3D printed affordable home project. Apis Cor was a NASA finalist to develop housing on Mars, won top awards in NASA's 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, and completed the world's largest 3D printed commercial building in Dubai. Their technology printed walls for a 407 sq ft demonstration home in 24 hours for $10,000.
• RRM Design GroupsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Architecture firm designing the 3D printed affordable home. RRM's design won an Award of Merit at the 2024 Pacific Coast Builder's Conference.
• Cambridge Drive Community ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Host site for the 3D printed affordable home project. Church has a strong history of supporting affordable housing and has agreed to allow development of the single-story 3D printed home on church property in Goleta, CA. Will lease the home to Transition House for management.
• Transition HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Local social service provider operating homeless shelter and transitional housing for women and children. Will manage the 3D printed affordable home and rent to a formerly homeless low-income family with a Section 8 voucher.
• Chase Home LendingsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce Homebuyer Program Partner referring eligible borrowers and facilitating mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers.
• Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce Homebuyer Program Partner referring eligible borrowers and facilitating mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers.
• Guaranteed RatesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce Homebuyer Program Partner referring eligible borrowers and facilitating mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers.
• Guild Mortgage CompanysupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce Homebuyer Program Partner referring eligible borrowers and facilitating mortgage financing for first-time homebuyers.
• Housing Authority of the City of Santa BarbarasupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce Homebuyer Program Partner providing Project-Based Section 8 vouchers and supportive services for residents of affordable housing projects.
• Peoples' Self-Help Housing CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor affordable housing sponsor that has developed multiple projects with HTF financing including Buellton Gardens (92 units), Heath House, Casa de las Flores (43 units), and Sierra Madre Cottages (40 units). Sheryl Flores, VP Home Ownership, serves on HTF's Board of Directors.
• Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara CountycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffordable housing sponsor. Jessica Wishan, Executive Director, serves on HTF's Board of Directors. HTF funded Sawyer Avenue Affordable Homes (3-unit self-help homeownership project) with a $700,000 loan.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Housing Trust Silicon Valley: Santa Clara County CDFI providing below-market acquisition/predevelopment loans for affordable housing and down payment assistance. Closest geographic and programmatic analog to HTF among California housing trust funds, operating at somewhat larger scale.
• Mercy Housing: Nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider operating across the western U.S. Comparable to HTF as a mission-driven affordable housing organization partnering with local sponsors, though Mercy directly develops and operates properties rather than primarily lending capital.
• California Community Reinvestment Corporation (CCRC): California-focused CDFI consortium of banks and credit unions providing below-market multifamily loans for affordable rental housing. Comparable to HTF's Revolving Loan Fund role within Santa Barbara County at a state-wide scale.
• Rural Community Assistance Corporation: Western U.S. CDFI providing loans and technical assistance for rural affordable housing and community infrastructure. Comparable to HTF as a CDFI loan + technical assistance intermediary serving lower-population rural geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI providing loans, grants, and equity for affordable housing and community development. Comparable to HTF as a CDFI funding intermediary that combines revolving loan funds with technical assistance to local sponsors.
• NeighborWorks America: National network of 240+ nonprofit housing counselors and developers offering down payment assistance, lending, and technical assistance. Directly comparable to HTF as a chartered intermediary channeling capital and TA to local affordable housing sponsors and homebuyers.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National CDFI and affordable housing intermediary that finances rental and for-sale housing development, provides down payment assistance, and offers technical assistance. Closest national analog to HTF in mission, structure, and program mix, though operating at vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County: Local Habitat affiliate that sponsors affordable homeownership projects and is itself an HTF borrower/grantee. Operates within the same Santa Barbara County geography and serves the same low-income first-time homebuyer segment as HTF's Workforce Homebuyer Program.
• Coastal Housing Partnership: Santa Barbara-based employer-assisted housing nonprofit sharing a CEO with HTF under a joint management structure. Direct peer in geography and workforce homebuyer focus, with complementary rather than overlapping program offerings.
• People's Self-Help Housing Corporation: Central Coast nonprofit developer of affordable rental and homeownership housing. Multiple joint projects with HTF (Buellton Gardens, Casa de las Flores, Sierra Madre Cottages), a board seat at HTF, and direct overlap in target geography and sponsor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sbhousingtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/housing-trust-fund-of-santa-barbara-county-inc-

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Housing Trust Fund of Santa Barbara County