Palo Alto Housing

What Palo Alto Housing does

Alta Housing, operating under the legacy name Palo Alto Housing, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits in Palo Alto, California. The organization acquires, develops, and manages affordable rental housing across the mid-peninsula region of Silicon Valley, providing Below-Market-Rate (BMR) units to low-income individuals and families who cannot afford market-rate housing in one of the nation's most expensive real estate markets. In addition to its core housing products — Current Properties and a documented pipeline of Future Developments — Alta Housing operates a wraparound set of resident services including a Resident Scholarship program, a Leadership Academy for personal and organizational development, Food Insecurity Assistance, and Anti-Displacement Programs delivered in partnership with organizations such as Sacred Heart Community Service and Canopy.

The organization generates revenue from two principal streams: recurring rental income from its affordable housing portfolio and donations/charitable contributions collected through its PayPal donate button and other fundraising channels. Pricing is income-based, determined through BMR eligibility rather than market rates, and specific rent amounts are not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is community-led: residents are acquired through partnerships, word-of-mouth referrals, and advocacy efforts, while donors are reached through the organization's website, Facebook presence, and news/advocacy content. The organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and Equal Housing certification, and is staffed by a small team of 13 employees, reflecting a lean nonprofit operating model focused on impact rather than scale.

Name

Palo Alto Housing

Legal name

Alta Housing

Website

https://pah.community

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alta Housing (formerly Palo Alto Housing) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops and manages affordable Below-Market-Rate rental housing and supportive services for low-income individuals and families across the mid-peninsula region of Silicon Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (531110)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Single-Family Rental (SFR) Property Management (BPAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Affordable housing
• Below-market-rate housing
• Resident services
• Anti-displacement programs
• Nonprofit housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Rental Income: Revenue generated from affordable rental units across the organization's properties in the mid-peninsula region.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts donations through PayPal and operates as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, relying on charitable contributions to support operations and resident programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Palo Alto Housing, operating as Alta Housing, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that acquires, develops, and manages Below-Market-Rate (BMR) affordable rental housing properties across the mid-peninsula region of Silicon Valley. The organization complements its housing units with supportive resident services including a Leadership Academy, Resident Scholarship program, food insecurity assistance, and anti-displacement initiatives delivered in partnership with community organizations.

Product overview

Alta Housing (operating as Palo Alto Housing) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing affordable housing and supportive services across the mid-peninsula Silicon Valley area. The organization operates as a unified affordable housing platform offering Current Properties and Future Developments as its core housing products, complemented by Resident Services and BMR Resources for housing access and support. Additional supportive programs include the Resident Scholarship for educational advancement, Leadership Academy for professional development, Food Insecurity Assistance for emergency support, and Anti-Displacement Programs in partnership with community organizations like Sacred Heart Community Service and Canopy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Current Properties Affordable rental housing units across the mid-peninsula Silicon Valley region, providing Below-Market-Rate housing for income-eligible individuals and families.
• Future Developments Planned affordable housing developments in the pipeline to expand Below-Market-Rate housing availability in the mid-peninsula area.
• Resident Services Supportive services connecting residents to community resources and assistance programs to help them remain in their homes and community.
• Resident Scholarship Educational scholarship program for residents to support personal development, learning, and educational advancement.
• Leadership Academy Program that strengthens personal leadership and organizational understanding among residents, building a culture of learning within the housing community.
• BMR Resources Below Market Rate housing resources and educational information for affordable housing seekers in Silicon Valley.
• Food Insecurity Assistance Emergency food assistance and household essential support for residents and households struggling to afford basic necessities.
• Anti-Displacement Programs Initiatives designed to prevent displacement of community members through partnerships with organizations like Sacred Heart Community Service.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sacred Heart Community ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on strengthening anti-displacement efforts in San Jose. The collaboration works to help residents remain in their community and avoid displacement due to rising housing costs in Silicon Valley.
• CanopycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration focused on planting roots at the Mariposa property. Canopy partnership supports resident community building and resource connection efforts.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Abode Services: Bay Area nonprofit focused on homelessness prevention and supportive housing services. Comparable in serving low-income Silicon Valley residents through housing-related services, though with a stronger supportive-housing-for-homeless orientation.
• Chinatown Community Development Center: San Francisco-based nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider. Comparable as a community-rooted nonprofit operating affordable rental housing and resident services in a high-cost Northern California market.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that develops and preserves affordable housing and partners with local operators. Comparable as a large-scale affordable housing mission organization supporting similar resident populations.
• Habitat for Humanity: National nonprofit providing affordable housing, primarily through homeownership pathways. Comparable as a large-scale affordable housing nonprofit, though Alta's rental/BMR model differs from Habitat's for-sale orientation.
• Related California: Affordable and mixed-income housing development arm of The Related Companies with significant California presence. Comparable on affordable housing development activity, though operating as a much larger, for-profit-affiliated platform.

Direct peers

• The John Stewart Company: California-based affordable and mixed-income housing operator and developer. Comparable in managing affordable rental communities and operating BMR-style housing programs across Northern California.
• Mercy Housing: National nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator with active California operations. Comparable on mission, 501(c)(3) structure, rental portfolio model, and integration of supportive resident services.
• Eden Housing: Bay Area nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator serving families, seniors, and individuals with supportive services. Comparable on nonprofit model, multifamily rental operation, and wraparound resident programming.
• MidPen Housing: Silicon Valley-area nonprofit that develops and manages affordable rental housing for low-income households. Closely comparable in geographic focus (mid-Peninsula), nonprofit structure, and resident-service orientation.
• BRIDGE Housing: Bay Area-based nonprofit developer and operator of affordable and workforce housing. Directly comparable as a mission-aligned affordable housing provider managing multifamily rental communities with supportive services in Northern California.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/altahousing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palo-alto-housing

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Palo Alto Housing