East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO)

What East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO) does

EPACANDO is a 501(c)(3) Community Development Corporation incorporated in East Palo Alto, California in 1991, focused on creating and preserving affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents in one of the most expensive housing markets in the United States. Across three decades, EPACANDO has developed or co-developed 442-452 affordable apartments in East Palo Alto — more than 5% of the city's total housing stock — in partnership with mission-aligned developers including Eden Housing, MidPen Housing, and Bridge Housing. Its owned portfolio includes the 15-unit Clarke Avenue Apartments (rehabilitated 1998) and the affiliated 41-unit Serenity Senior Housing (developed with MidPen Housing, completed 2017). The organization also supports PAHALI (Preserving Affordable Housing Assets Longterm, Inc.), an affiliated community land trust that holds land in perpetuity for permanently affordable homeownership.

The organization's core programs are: (1) the Below-Market-Rate (BMR) Home Ownership Program, administered under contract with the City of East Palo Alto since 2003 (re-contracted 2019) with oversight of 53 BMR units and over 100 families placed; (2) the CANDO ADU Program, launched circa 2020-2021, providing free property assessments, project management, and financing support (CalHome loans up to $100,000) to homeowners building accessory dwelling units, having assisted 120+ homeowners with 15 ADUs completed; (3) homebuyer and financial literacy workshops (5,000+ residents reached); and (4) an anti-predatory lending counseling program (3,000+ clients served). Distribution is direct-to-resident via a bilingual (English/Spanish) community engagement model that includes office hours, workshops, social media (Facebook, X, Instagram), email newsletters, and a membership program ($10/year residents, $25+/year non-residents).

The business model is a grant-and-fee nonprofit funding stack. EPACANDO does not publicly disclose revenue; reported inflows include a $20M Strategic Growth Council grant to the City (2019, with EPACANDO as liaison), a $2M CalHome award from HCD (2020), and $500K from the $1.5M Facebook Innovation Fund via Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (2021). Additional revenue comes from rental income on owned properties (Clarke Avenue), BMR program administration fees under the City contract, membership fees, corporate partnerships (Boston Private Bank, Bank CBB, Meta, MidPen), and foundation grants (Packard, San Francisco Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Grove Foundation, PolicyLink, Common Counsel, HEART of San Mateo County). The organization has 8 listed staff and is governed by a resident-majority Board of Directors.

Name

East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO)

Legal name

East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization

Website

https://epacando.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPACANDO is a 501(c)(3) Community Development Corporation in East Palo Alto, California that has developed or co-developed 442+ affordable apartments and administers the City's Below-Market-Rate homeownership program, the CANDO ADU program for homeowners, and an affiliated community land trust (PAHALI), serving low- and moderate-income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

ADU Permitting, Zoning & Code Compliance (HSAPAMAG), Garage-to-ADU Conversion (HSAPAMAC), Detached ADU (Backyard Cottage) Construction (HSAPAMAA), Down Payment Assistance (DPA) & Homebuyer Subsidy Programs (FSALAKAE)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Community land trust
• Accessory dwelling units
• Homeownership counseling
• Nonprofit housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

East Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: EPACANDO operates primarily as a grant-funded nonprofit organization relying on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and foundation grants to fund operations and housing programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners contribute financially to support affordable housing initiatives in exchange for recognition and association with the organization's mission.
3. Membership Fees: Regular membership costs $10/year for East Palo Alto residents; Associate membership costs $25+/year for non-residents, providing voting rights and participation in governance.
4. Property Rental Income: EPACANDO owns and manages the 15-unit Clarke Avenue Apartments complex, generating rental income from low-income residents.
5. City Contract Administration: EPACANDO administers the City's Below-Market-Rate (BMR) homeownership program under contract with the City of East Palo Alto, providing program administration services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EPACANDO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation that creates and preserves affordable housing in East Palo Alto through co-developing rental housing, administering the City's Below-Market-Rate (BMR) homeownership program, supporting homeowners in building Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) via the CANDO ADU program, operating the PAHALI community land trust for permanent affordability, and providing homebuyer education and financial literacy workshops.

Product overview

EPACANDO offers a portfolio of interconnected affordable housing programs rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include CANDO ADU (helping homeowners build accessory dwelling units), the BMR Home Ownership Program (administering below-market-rate homeownership), Housing Development (creating and maintaining affordable rental units through partnerships), PAHALI Community Land Trust (permanent affordability through land ownership), and Homebuyer/Financial Literacy Workshops. Property management services round out the service offering. All programs focus on affordable housing creation and anti-displacement in East Palo Alto.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CANDO ADU: A program that provides hands-on support with planning, building, and renting Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) for East Palo Alto homeowners.
• PAHALI

Products and services

• CANDO ADU Program
• Below-Market-Rate (BMR) Home Ownership Program
• Housing Development
• PAHALI Community Land Trust

Quantifiable outcome

• 442-452 affordable apartments developed or co-developed, representing 5%+ of city's housing stock
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• MidPen HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor nonprofit housing development partner. Co-developed Serenity Senior Housing (41 units) and Bay Oaks Apartments (38 units). Mid-Pen Housing provided properties at cost to PAHALI community land trust initiative.
• Eden HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for Light Tree Apartments renovation (94 to 185 units) and Nugent Square Apartments (32 units). Joint venture partner in multiple affordable housing developments.
• Bridge HousingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Peninsula Park Apartments (129 units: 64 market rate with Section 8 + 65 below-market rate) in East Palo Alto.
• Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperienced BMR program administrator serving five Bay Area cities. Partners with EPACANDO to coordinate BMR refinances, sales and purchases. Collaborated on successful BMR home sales process.
• City SystemsmajorTechnology or IntegrationNonprofit consultancy developing data-driven urban solutions. Partnered with EPACANDO for CANDO ADU project, providing ADU tools and garage conversion dashboards for East Palo Alto homeowners.
• City of East Palo AltocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal partner. EPACANDO serves as liaison between City and housing nonprofits. Administers City's BMR program under contract. Co-received CalHome $2M award for ADU loans.
• City of Menlo ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in ADU pilot project - one of four pilot sites located in Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood for backyard lease model.
• PolicyLinkminorOthersNational research and action institute focused on economic and social equity. Listed as organizational sponsor.
• Common CounselminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development financial institution. Listed as organizational sponsor supporting EPACANDO.
• HEART of San Mateo CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing agency providing loans to homebuyers and developers. Partner for Nugent Square rehabilitation ($850K loan) and ADU programs including free designs through ADU/GLADUR initiative.
• SOUPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity of designers, developers, and activists working to make housing more affordable. Partnering with EPACANDO for CalHome ADU program application process and design support.
• United Hope BuildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrantee building factory in East Palo Alto to manufacture prefab homes. Working with faith-based organizations and nonprofits.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer with significant Bay Area presence. Operates a much larger-scale version of EPACANDO's multifamily affordable rental model, including property management and resident services.

Direct peers

• Eden Housing: Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing developer that partnered with EPACANDO on Light Tree Apartments (94→185 units) and Nugent Square Apartments. Directly comparable mission, geography, and product offering (multifamily affordable rental).
• MidPen Housing: Major Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing developer and EPACANDO's direct co-development partner on Serenity Senior Housing and Bay Oaks Apartments. Operates a similar mission-driven model of developing permanently affordable rental housing for low-income residents across Northern California.
• Bridge Housing: Regional nonprofit affordable housing developer that partnered with EPACANDO on Peninsula Park Apartments (129 mixed-income units in East Palo Alto). Operates similar multifamily affordable housing development model across the Bay Area.
• Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA): BMR program administrator serving five Bay Area cities and direct EPACANDO partner for BMR resale transactions. Directly comparable mission administering inclusionary housing programs for municipalities in the Bay Area.
• HEART of San Mateo County: San Mateo County housing agency that provides homebuyer and developer loans; partnered with EPACANDO on Nugent Square rehabilitation and ADU/GLADUR design support. Closely comparable CDFI-style affordable housing finance and counseling model.

Others

• Grounded Solutions Network: National membership organization for community land trusts and shared equity programs. PAHALI (EPACANDO's CLT affiliate) operates within this network, which provides technical assistance, peer learning, and policy advocacy for permanent affordability models.
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Major regional community foundation that funds EPACANDO's affordable housing initiatives. Relevant as a peer funder/ecosystem enabler for Bay Area affordable housing nonprofits of comparable scale.

Regional players

• Peninsula Habitat for Humanity: Regional Habitat for Humanity affiliate on the San Francisco Peninsula (EPACANDO board member Mark Moulton was previously ED). Both organizations build affordable homeownership opportunities for low-income residents in overlapping Bay Area geographies.
• Youth United for Community Action (YUCA): East Palo Alto youth organizing nonprofit that is an EPACANDO program collaborator (Facebook Innovation Fund grant recipient alongside EPACANDO/PAHALI). Comparable community-based mission and overlapping geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epacando1
• Facebookfacebook.com/epacando1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epacando
• Instagraminstagram.com/epacando

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO)