San Diego Housing Federation

What San Diego Housing Federation does

San Diego Housing Federation (SDHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1990, headquartered in San Diego, California, that operates as the regional unified voice for affordable housing across San Diego County. It serves a coalition of affordable housing developers, property managers, resident services professionals, public agencies, housing advocates, and residents, delivering value through policy advocacy, professional training, signature events, and member services. SDHF runs a portfolio of programs including the annual Affordable Housing & Community Development Conference (500+ attendees), the Ruby Awards (the self-described nation's largest affordable housing recognition event), the Supportive Housing and Resident Services Academy (SHRSA), the Affordable Housing Management Academy developed with MiraCosta College, the HEAL Network, the Residents United Network, the BUILD Program, and resource offerings such as Weekly Briefs and a sector job board.

SDHF has no proprietary technology platform; its core assets are convening, recognition, training, and policy influence. Underlying operations are supported by a small staff (1-10 employees) led by President & CEO Stephen Russell, with a board refreshed in 2026. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of membership dues, event sponsorships (notably U.S. Bank as Ruby Awards title sponsor, plus Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Union Bank, Chase, and the San Diego Housing Commission), conference and event registration fees, job posting fees ($35 per posting for non-members, free for members), and tax-deductible donations. The organization is supported by a network of strategic partners including CSH, Wakeland Housing, Affirmed Housing, Community HousingWorks, National CORE, San Diego Habitat for Humanity, PATH, California Housing Partnership, and Housing California.

Name

San Diego Housing Federation

Legal name

San Diego Housing Federation

Website

https://housingsandiego.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

San Diego Housing Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership coalition founded in 1990 that advances affordable housing in San Diego County through policy advocacy, professional training, signature events, and member services for developers, property managers, advocates, public agencies, and residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Advocacy and Professional Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

Keywords

• Affordable housing advocacy
• Nonprofit housing federation
• Housing policy training
• Community development events
• Housing workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SDHF operates as a membership-based organization with various membership levels. Members include affordable housing developers, advocates, and other professionals in the housing sector. Membership provides access to forums, networking events, educational programs, and other member benefits.
2. Event Sponsorships: The organization generates revenue through sponsorships for signature events including the annual conference, Ruby Awards, and other programming events. Sponsors receive recognition and visibility at these events.
3. Conference and Event Registration: Revenue from attendee registrations for events such as the annual conference, SHRSA Institute, property tours, and other educational programming.
4. Job Posting Fees: Non-members are charged $35 per job posting, while SDHF members may post unlimited job opportunities for free.
5. Donations: SDHF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (ID#: 33-0522932) that accepts charitable donations to support its mission of advancing affordable housing in San Diego.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

San Diego Housing Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that advocates for affordable housing policy in San Diego County and provides professional training, networking events, and resource programs for housing developers, service providers, and resident advocates. It operates an annual conference, multiple training academies, awards programs, and administers utility and weatherization programs such as LIWP, SOMAH, and BUILD.

Product overview

San Diego Housing Federation is a non-profit organization (501(c)(3), ID# 33-0522932) serving as the region's voice for affordable housing. Founded in 1990, it offers a portfolio of programs and services including: the annual Ruby Awards and Affordable Housing & Community Development Conference for recognition and professional development; SHRSA (Supportive Housing & Resident Services Academy) and Affordable Housing Management Academy for workforce training; HEAL Network and Residents United Network for resident advocacy and empowerment; plus resources including Weekly Briefs, job listings, and special programs like BUILD, LIWP, and SOMAH for solar and weatherization assistance. The organization functions as a membership-based coalition of affordable housing developers, advocates, and professionals rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing & Community Development Conference Annual industry conference bringing together affordable housing developers, service providers, government agencies, and advocates in San Diego County for professional education, networking, and policy discussion.
• Ruby Awards Annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for excellence and contributions to the San Diego affordable housing community.
• Affordable Housing Management Academy Professional training academy providing affordable housing property managers with the skills and knowledge needed to manage affordable housing developments.
• Fundamentals of Affordable Housing: Design and Development Multi-session training series covering the fundamentals of affordable housing design and development for industry professionals and newcomers.
• Supportive Housing & Resident Services Academy (SHRSA) Training academy equipping supportive housing and resident services staff with the competencies needed to serve residents of affordable housing developments.
• HEAL Network (Homeless-Experienced Advocacy and Leadership) Leadership and advocacy network for individuals with lived experience of homelessness, building skills and a collective voice for housing policy advocacy.
• Residents United Network Resident-led network connecting affordable housing residents across San Diego County for peer support, advocacy training, and collective action.
• Monthly Member Forums Recurring member-only forums providing peer networking and topical discussions on affordable housing policy and practice.
• SDHF Membership Annual membership program for affordable housing developers, service providers, government agencies, residents, and advocates in San Diego County, providing access to forums, training, advocacy, and member benefits.
• Jobs in Affordable Housing Board Job posting board helping affordable housing employers in San Diego County recruit qualified candidates, with posting fees for non-members.
• Low Income Weatherization Program (LIWP) Resource program providing low-income households with weatherization assistance to improve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs.
• Solar on Multifamily Affordable Homes (SOMAH) Program facilitating the installation of solar photovoltaic systems on multifamily affordable housing properties to lower tenant energy costs.
• BUILD Program Program supporting affordable housing development and community-building initiatives in San Diego County.
• Rental Home Stability Program Program providing resources and support to help low-income households maintain stable rental housing and avoid displacement.
• San Diego Permanent Housing Learning Collaborative Cross-sector learning collaborative focused on advancing permanent supportive housing solutions in San Diego County.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ attendees at annual conference
• +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

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

• CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey strategic partner providing technical assistance, training, and systems change initiatives. Simonne Ruff serves as Director of CSH San Diego and Orange County programs, supporting 1,061 supportive housing units in San Diego.
• Wakeland Housing & Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor affordable housing developer partner. Sponsored the Nominee Reception at 2026 Ruby Awards. Won Project of the Year for Serenade on 43rd.
• Affirmed HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor affordable housing developer partner. Host of ShoreLINE property tour for Fundamentals series. Developed 126-unit ShoreLINE community.
• Community HousingWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor CHDO partner developing affordable housing. Won Project of the Year for Jacaranda on 9th. Host of Kimball Highland property tour.
• National COREmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffordable housing developer and supporter of SDHF. Hope Through Housing Foundation operates under National CORE umbrella.
• San Diego Habitat for HumanitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor affordable housing nonprofit partner building homes in San Diego County.
• CHW (Community HousingWorks)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor affordable housing developer and supporter. Developing Kimball Highland master plan with health center integration.
• Sun Country BuildersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor construction partner that has built over 8,700 affordable housing units. Supporter of SDHF events.
• Interfaith HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as supporter of SDHF mission.
• MiraCosta CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for Affordable Housing Management Academy. Developed courses with SDHF to train property managers for affordable housing sector.
• California Housing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Fundamentals of Affordable Housing Finance training. Provides housing needs data and reports for San Diego region.
• PATH (People Assisting The Homeless)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor homelessness services provider and SDHF member. Zachary Schlegel serves on SDHF Board as Senior Director of Public Policy at PATH.
• San Diego Youth ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth services nonprofit and SDHF member. Jonathan Castillo served on SDHF Board.
• Housing CaliforniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide housing advocacy organization. SDHF collaborates on policy initiatives and job postings for affordable housing sector.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sdhf
• Facebookfacebook.com/SDHousingFed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 San Diego Housing Federation