CSA San Diego County

What CSA San Diego County does

CSA San Diego County (Center for Social Advocacy) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1969 and headquartered at 327 Van Houten Ave, El Cajon, California. Its primary mission is the promotion of social justice and public welfare through advocacy against all forms of discrimination, with a core focus on fair housing enforcement and equal housing opportunity for protected classes under the Fair Housing Act. The organization delivers a portfolio of services including fair housing counseling, discrimination complaint intake and referral, tenant/landlord mediation, hate crime prevention (in partnership with the San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition), civic engagement forums, and educational workshops covering disability, familial status, sexual harassment, race, religion, national origin, and LGBTQ+ protections. It also operates a Fair Housing Tester Program paying $40-$60 per investigative test, a Reasonable Accommodations program, and a Volunteer Program.

The organization serves approximately 2,800 clients annually and conducts 120+ educational workshops reaching about 1,500 individuals per year. Service delivery spans 14+ San Diego County municipalities — Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, Poway, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista, and the San Diego Unincorporated Area — through in-person counseling, library events, Facebook Live panels, and Zoom classes, with multilingual capacity in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

CSA's business model is government-contract-funded services delivered free of charge to clients. Primary funding comes from the County of San Diego's Fair Housing Program, supplemented by contracts with the 14+ municipalities listed above for tenant/landlord mediation. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; it operates standard web (c4sa.org), email, and social channels for outreach. Leadership includes Executive Director Estela DeLos Rios, senior fair housing counselor George Ibarra (2017 RISE Award recipient), and Fair Housing Outreach Coordinator Matthew Hoeg. Strategic partners include the San Diego District Attorney, California DFEH, United Way of San Diego County, and the San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair Housing.

Name

CSA San Diego County

Legal name

CSA San Diego County

Website

https://c4sa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CSA San Diego County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1969 that delivers free fair housing counseling, discrimination complaint intake, tenant/landlord mediation, and educational workshops to residents and municipalities across 14+ San Diego County cities, funded primarily by County of San Diego contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

El Cajon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Grants: CSA San Diego County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that receives funding from the County of San Diego to operate its Fair Housing Program. The organization also contracts with multiple cities throughout San Diego County to provide tenant and landlord mediation services. All fair housing services are provided free of charge to both landlords and tenants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CSA San Diego County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free fair housing counseling, tenant-landlord mediation, discrimination complaint intake and investigation, fair housing testing, and educational workshops to San Diego County residents. Services are funded by the County of San Diego and contracts with 14+ municipalities, with all services provided at no cost to clients.

Product overview

CSA San Diego County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of social justice and fair housing services rather than a technology product. The core offerings include the Fair Housing Program (counseling, investigation, and complaint reporting to regulatory agencies), Hate Crime Prevention (partnership with San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition), Civic Engagement (community forums on discrimination issues), Fair Housing Outreach and Training (educational workshops on fair housing laws), Fair Housing Tester Program (on-call testers investigating discrimination complaints), Tenant and Landlord Mediation Services (free dispute resolution), Reasonable Accommodations Program (disability accommodation guidance), Sexual Harassment in Housing Services, and Familial Status Protection Services. The organization also operates a Volunteer Program and provides educational resources. Services are funded by the County of San Diego and offered free of charge to San Diego County residents. CSA serves approximately 2,800 clients annually and conducts over 120 educational workshops reaching about 1,500 individuals per year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fair Housing Program Primary service providing counseling, investigation, and reporting of fair housing discrimination complaints to regulatory agencies such as the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). Enforces fair housing laws, promotes outreach and education, and ensures equal housing opportunities for protected classes in San Diego County.
• Hate Crime Prevention Partnership with the San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition to coordinate outreach, education, and dialogue regarding bullying, hate incidents, and hate crimes, providing resources for witnesses and victims.
• Civic Engagement Program that proactively engages communities on issues of fair housing, discrimination, and other social justice issues. Empowers communities and provides forums to voice public concerns and bridge gaps between race, ethnicity, gender, class, and socioeconomic status.
• Fair Housing Outreach and Training Educational workshops and training services covering General Fair Housing, Disability, Race/Color, National Origin, Sex/Gender, LGBTQ+ Protections, Familial Status, and COVID-19. Provides tools to renters, landlords, and housing professionals to enhance relationships and prevent discriminatory practices.
• Fair Housing Tester Program On-call program in which testers participate in investigations of housing discrimination complaints by posing as prospective renters to gather information for determining compliance with Fair Housing Laws. Testers are paid $40.00-$60.00 per test.
• Tenant and Landlord Mediation Services Free mediation services to resolve tenant and landlord disputes on a no-fault basis. CSA contracts with multiple San Diego County cities including Chula Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, National City, Oceanside, Poway, Santee, Solana Beach, Vista, and the San Diego Unincorporated Area.
• Reasonable Accommodations Program Free service offering mediation and training to landlords and property managers on disability accommodations under Fair Housing laws. Provides guidance on service animals, parking accommodations, and modifications for tenants with disabilities.
• Sexual Harassment in Housing Services Services addressing sexual harassment by housing providers, including quid pro quo and hostile environment harassment prohibited under the Fair Housing Act. Provides resources and complaint filing assistance for victims.
• Familial Status Protection Services Services addressing discrimination against families with children under 18, pregnant persons, and those in the process of obtaining legal custody. Covers protections under the Fair Housing Act for families with children.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,800 clients served annually through rental, home buying, credit and foreclosure prevention counseling
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• San Diego Regional Hate Crime CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSA partners with the San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition to coordinate outreach, education, and dialogue regarding bullying, hate incidents, and hate crimes, providing resources for witnesses and victims
• San Diego District AttorneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating on civic engagement and justice initiatives in San Diego County
• Welcome Newcomer NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting newcomers to the community with housing and integration services
• San Diego Regional Alliance for Fair HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional alliance of fair housing professionals working together to ensure equal access to housing for all San Diego County residents
• California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState fair housing enforcement agency that accepts fair housing complaints; CSA accepts claims and refers them to DFEH
• Live Well San DiegominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty health and wellness initiative partner promoting community wellbeing
• United Way of San Diego CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor nonprofit partner supporting community services and social welfare programs
• World Without ExploitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working to prevent human trafficking; CSA partners on human trafficking prevention and education
• Partnership for the Advancement of New AmericansminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting new Americans with advocacy and integration services
• The Well PathminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in civic engagement initiatives with San Diego interfaith collaborative
• Local Law Enforcement and FBIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local law enforcement, school districts, and FBI for civic engagement and hate crime prevention

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Public Law Center: An Orange County-based nonprofit legal aid and civil rights organization providing free services in housing, immigration, and civil rights. Comparable nonprofit legal/advocacy model in Southern California, serving similar vulnerable populations.
• National Fair Housing Alliance: The national umbrella organization for fair housing advocacy in the United States. Directly comparable mission of enforcing fair housing laws, providing counseling, and coordinating local fair housing centers, including California-based members like CSA.
• Project Sentinel: A California-based fair housing center providing discrimination counseling, landlord/tenant mediation, and tenant education. Directly comparable operating model, client base, and mission to CSA, though serving Northern California.
• Bet Tzedek Legal Services: A Los Angeles-based nonprofit legal services organization addressing housing, civil rights, and public benefits for low-income Californians. Comparable nonprofit model, mission focus on vulnerable populations, and housing-related services.
• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: A national civil rights legal organization providing legal representation, advocacy, and education on fair housing and other civil rights issues. Directly comparable mission and advocacy focus, though at larger national scale.
• Legal Aid Society of San Diego: A San Diego-based nonprofit legal services organization serving low-income residents with housing issues, discrimination claims, and tenant rights. Shares geography, target population, and fair housing-related work with CSA.
• Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley: A California fair housing center providing counseling, fair housing testing, and enforcement support services. Directly comparable service portfolio and mission to CSA, serving the Los Angeles region.

Regional players

• Bay Area Legal Aid: A Northern California legal aid organization serving low-income residents with housing and civil legal issues. Comparable nonprofit legal services model and housing-related work, but primarily serves a different California geography.

Broad incumbents

• HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity: The federal agency that enforces the Fair Housing Act and funds local fair housing initiatives through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program. CSA's services align directly with FHEO's mission, though HUD operates at vastly larger scale and with federal regulatory authority.
• California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH): The state agency that enforces California's fair housing laws and accepts the discrimination complaints that CSA refers. Operates at much larger scale with statewide jurisdiction and regulatory authority, making it a broad incumbent over CSA's niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csa-san-diego-county

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CSA San Diego County