Redwood Park Communities Inc

What Redwood Park Communities Inc does

Redwood Park Communities Inc is a Simcoe County-based registered Canadian charity (founded 2009; CRA #850158668RR0001) that operates a portfolio of affordable supportive housing and complementary social programs. The organization runs 54 housing units across five sites — United House (transitional housing for women leaving shelter), Lucy's Place (Housing First motel conversion for chronic homelessness, 24 studio apartments), Lillian Place (12 family short-term housing units with The Salvation Army), Ayub's House (shared housing for men in trades/trades training), and Jubilee House (4 apartments for women and children in Orillia, acquired 2023). It has housed over 500 women, men, and children since 2013.

Complementing the housing portfolio, Redwood operates the Redwood Furniture Bank (launched 2019, serving 700+ households), social enterprises including Redwood Bean & Brew cafe and The Loft on King Airbnb, and the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) advocacy movement with annual YIMBY Week across 17 Simcoe County municipalities. The business model is multi-stream: CRA-registered charitable donations (individuals, corporations, securities), subsidized rent payments (many residents on Ontario Works), merchandise sales (t-shirts $35, hoodies $60, mugs $50-$55), corporate partnership tiers ($250-$5,000 for Furniture Bank support), and interest-bearing Community Housing Bonds (Series A-D, with Series B/C/D RRSP/TFSA eligible through a Canadian Worker Co-op Federation partnership). An active $10M Community Housing Bond raise is financing the next wave of housing development.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Colleen Gartner and co-led operationally by co-founders Timothy Kent (CEO) and Rhonda Kent (COO), with a small core team of 1-10 employees supplemented by director-level staff across operations, communications, housing, facilities, and finance. Redwood holds no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing and operates exclusively in Simcoe County, Ontario (Barrie, Orillia, Midland). No technology platform, proprietary software, API, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed; the organization's competitive position is built on a 25+ partner referral network, government and institutional funding relationships, and 16 years of regional brand credibility in a market where Barrie ranks among Canada's top 3 most expensive rental markets.

Name

Redwood Park Communities Inc

Legal name

Redwood Park Communities Inc

Website

https://www.redwoodbuilds.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Redwood Park Communities Inc is a Simcoe County-based registered Canadian charity (founded 2009) operating 54 units of affordable supportive housing across five sites, plus a Furniture Bank, social enterprises, and the YIMBY advocacy movement, serving women fleeing domestic violence, chronically homeless individuals, families in crisis, and working-poor trades workers in Barrie, Orillia, and Midland, Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Supportive Housing Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAIANAA

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

Keywords

• Affordable supportive housing
• Furniture bank services
• Community housing bonds
• Housing First community
• YIMBY housing advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and corporations including furniture donations, securities donations, and direct monetary contributions. Redwood is a CRA-registered charity.
2. Community Housing Bonds: Interest-bearing community bonds issued to individuals and institutions to finance affordable housing projects. Series A, B, C, D bonds available. Series B, C, D are RRSP and TFSA eligible through CWCF partnership.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs through e-commerce platform.
4. Rent Payments: Subsidized rent payments from residents in supportive housing units. Many residents receive Ontario Works funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Redwood Park Communities provides affordable supportive housing and wrap-around services through five housing sites in Simcoe County, Ontario, serving women fleeing gender-based violence, people experiencing chronic homelessness, families in crisis, and the working poor. The charity also operates a Furniture Bank that redistributes donated furnishings, issues interest-bearing Community Housing Bonds to finance new projects, and runs the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) housing advocacy movement and social enterprises.

Product overview

Redwood Park Communities Inc is a Simcoe County-based registered charity (founded 2009) operating a portfolio of housing initiatives and community programs rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include five supportive/transitional housing sites: United House (transitional housing for women leaving shelter, 2013), Lucy's Place (Housing First community for chronic homelessness, 2019), Lillian Place (family short-term housing), Ayub's House (affordable shared housing for trades workers, 2023), and Jubilee House (women and children's housing, joined 2023). Supporting programs include the Redwood Furniture Bank (furniture redistribution since 2019), Redwood Community Housing Bonds (investment instruments raising $10M for affordable housing), and the YIMBY advocacy initiative. The organization also operates a small merchandise e-commerce store selling advocacy-themed t-shirts, hoodies, and mugs. The company does not offer a technology platform with API, integrations, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Redwood Community Housing Bonds: Interest-bearing loans issued by the charity to support affordable housing projects, available to individuals, businesses, and foundations with fixed interest returns.
• Redwood Furniture Bank
• YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard)
• Fresh Start Fund
• Redwood Bean & Brew

Products and services

• United House Transitional housing supporting women leaving the Women and Children's Shelter of Barrie, offering 8 renovated, fully furnished apartments with wrap-around support services including budgeting, tenant rights education, and housing search assistance while awaiting Rent-Geared-to-Income placement.
• Lucy's Place Housing First community created from an old motel conversion providing 24 furnished studio apartments for single adults and couples experiencing chronic homelessness, with 24/7 on-site support staff from David Busby Street Centre.
• Lillian Place Short-term supportive housing center for families in crisis with 12 fully furnished two-bedroom apartments, operated in partnership with The Salvation Army's Barrie Bayside Mission which provides resident selection and support programs.
• Jubilee House Supportive housing in Orillia for women and their children with four furnished apartments offering subsidized housing with supports for women-led households with low incomes.
• Ayub's House Affordable shared housing for men employed in trades or trades training programs, offering two 3-bedroom apartments of supported shared living with referrals from Community Builders and Windermere House.
• Redwood Furniture Bank Community furniture bank that collects usable donated furniture and redistributes it to individuals and families in need through a network of 25+ referring partner agencies; clients contribute a nominal fee and receive curated, delivered furnishings.
• Redwood Community Housing Bonds Interest-bearing loan instruments issued by the nonprofit charity allowing individuals and institutions to invest in affordable housing projects, with fixed annual interest payments in January via EFT and bonds secured against project properties.
• YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) Advocacy Grassroots advocacy campaign promoting housing awareness and acceptance across Simcoe County municipalities, including annual YIMBY Week events with flag raises, lunch & learns, pop-up furniture banks, and municipal pro-housing commitments.
• Advocacy T-Shirts Advocacy-themed t-shirts featuring slogans such as 'Better Together', 'But First Housing', 'Housing is a Human Right', 'Yes In My Backyard', and 'Redwood Builds', priced at $35 CAD each with $5 local delivery.
• Redwood Hoodie Fleece-lined hoodie featuring the Redwood logo and '#HopeThroughHousing' on the back shoulder, priced at $60 CAD with $5 local delivery, sold to support the charity's mission.
• Handcrafted Ceramic Mugs Handcrafted ceramic mugs made by local potter Gary Brierley of Brierley Pottery, including Hope Through Housing Mug ($50/pair) and Special Edition Pride Mug ($55/pair with $5 donation to Gilbert Centre).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 people provided affordable housing with supports since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women and Children's Shelter of BarriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership where women leaving the shelter transition to United House for transitional housing while awaiting RGI placement. United House fills the gap between shelter stay and permanent housing.
• David Busby Street CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Lucy's Place, an innovative motel conversion providing Housing First community for those experiencing chronic homelessness. Busby Centre provides 24/7 staff support to residents.
• The Salvation ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Lillian Place - family short-term supportive housing. Redwood built the building and provides property management; Salvation Army's Barrie Bayside Mission provides resident selection and support programs.
• Community BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for Ayub's House and historical partnership for Redwood Second Suites. Community Builders provides referrals for housing at Ayub's House.
• Windermere HouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for Ayub's House affordable shared housing for trades workers.
• Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through CommonGoodCapital Program allows Community Bonds (Series B, C, D) to be held in RRSPs and TFSAs, making bonds accessible to more investors.
• Brierley PotteryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal potter in Oro Station creating handcrafted ceramic mugs for Redwood's merchandise line. Special Edition Pride Mugs include donation to Gilbert Centre.
• Kits For a CauseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for corporate volunteer programs where groups pack essential care kits for individuals supported across Simcoe County.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity Canada: National affordable housing charity that builds and operates housing for low-income families and individuals. Directly comparable to Redwood as a Canadian nonprofit creating affordable housing with wraparound support pathways, and far larger in scale (branches across Canada).
• Blue Door Shelters: York Region-based nonprofit operating emergency shelters, supportive housing, and housing programs for people experiencing homelessness. Closely comparable to Redwood in operating transitional and supportive housing units with on-site support services, and in mixed portfolio model.
• Furniture Bank (Toronto): Toronto-based charity that collects and redistributes donated furniture to individuals and families transitioning into housing. Directly comparable to Redwood Furniture Bank in mission, operating model, and partner-agency referral structure, though at larger scale.
• Raising the Roof: National Canadian charity focused on long-term solutions to homelessness, including funding supportive housing and prevention programs. Comparable as a homelessness-focused Canadian charity combining direct service, advocacy, and funder partnerships.
• Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Toronto-based nonprofit providing transitional housing, supportive housing, and skill-building programs for youth experiencing homelessness. Comparable in operating permanent supportive housing units with wraparound services and a hybrid social enterprise funding approach.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Canada: National federation of YWCAs operating women's shelters, transitional housing, and affordable housing across Canada. Directly relevant to Redwood's women-and-children's housing programs (United House, Jubilee House) but operates as a much larger, broader incumbent.
• The Salvation Army Canada: Large national charity operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing across Canada. Directly relevant as Redwood's strategic partner at Lillian Place and as one of Canada's largest affordable housing providers overall.

Regional players

• United Way Simcoe Muskoka: Regional United Way chapter funding and coordinating homelessness and housing programs in the same Simcoe County geography as Redwood. Highly comparable regional funder/convener with the Home Relief Bank partnership.

Emerging players

• Make Way (formerly Maytree Foundation): Canadian charitable foundation focused on systemic poverty reduction including affordable housing policy advocacy. Comparable to Redwood's YIMBY advocacy component as a Canadian nonprofit combining direct housing action with policy advocacy.

Others

• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: National advocacy coalition working to prevent and end homelessness in Canada through policy, research, and Housing First adoption. Comparable in advocacy mission to Redwood's YIMBY initiative, though operating as a network/convener rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/redwoodbuilds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Redwood Park Communities Inc