Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

What Strategic Actions for a Just Economy does

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in South Los Angeles. Its functional mission is tenant rights, housing justice, and equitable development, with programs that include tenant organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy, and negotiation of community benefits agreements with private developers. The organization serves low-income tenants and small businesses in South Los Angeles, primarily immigrant and communities of color, and partners with city and county agencies, including the LA Department of Building and Safety and LA Metro, to shape housing and transit policy.

SAJE's core "products" are community organizing campaigns, litigation support, policy advocacy, and popular education programs, rather than commercial technology products. Its most notable technical asset is the OWN-IT interactive tool, which tracks property ownership and code violations and has been used to support tenant outreach and policy campaigns. The organization has also authored research publications such as "Slum Enforcement in Los Angeles" and developed the LA Metro Equity Platform Toolkit, which embed participatory data and equity criteria into transit-oriented development decisions.

As a nonprofit, SAJE's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding sources include individual donors, foundation grants, and direct contracts with the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County for programs such as Stay Housed LA (2020–2022). The organization does not sell products or services; it generates "revenue" through fundraising and government partnerships, and its pricing model is effectively a cost-recovery and grant-funded structure with no direct customer billing. SAJE does not report a standard market-style customer base, but its "customer" in the funder sense is a mix of public agencies and foundations that support its programmatic work.

Name

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

Legal name

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy

Website

https://saje.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE) is a South Los Angeles–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1996, that organizes tenants, shapes housing and transit policy, and negotiates community benefits agreements for low-income residents and small businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing Justice Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Tenant rights advocacy
• Housing justice organizing
• Community development services
• Tenant rights education
• Equitable urban planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: SAJE operates as a 501c3 nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from various funders. The organization does not charge for services to tenants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SAJE is a Los Angeles-based 501c3 nonprofit that provides free tenant rights education through weekly Tenant Action Clinics, policy advocacy at the city, county, and state levels, community leadership development, and coalition-based organizing against displacement. Its work centers on the Figueroa Corridor and greater South Central LA, with a parallel focus on equitable urban development, healthy housing, and small business anti-displacement. The organization does not sell a product; services are delivered at no charge to tenants and small businesses and funded by donations and grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tenant Action Clinics Free weekly clinics (in-person and virtual) that provide multilingual (English/Spanish) tenant rights education, legal information, eviction defense support, and referrals to tenants in the Figueroa Corridor and greater South Central LA.
• OWN-IT! Interactive Tool Interactive tool that identifies properties at risk of displacement by tracking building owner histories, used by tenants and advocates to investigate corporate landlord behavior in Los Angeles.
• Leadership Development Program Program that equips SAJE members from South LA to fight for housing justice and equitable development in their own neighborhoods, providing organizing training and leadership pipelines.
• Outreach and Education Services Direct outreach to Figueroa Corridor and South Central LA residents providing housing justice information, civic engagement, and policy education; delivered via door-to-door contact, town halls, and digital channels.
• Policy Innovation Advocacy Development of new models for equitable development, urban land use, and tenant protections; produced policy reports (Just Recovery Series, Displacement Zones, Harassed in L.A.) and shaped ordinances including Right to Counsel, Rent Stabilization, and TAHO.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped broker $20 million in community benefits agreement with USC (2012)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• PolicyLinkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2017SAJE and PolicyLink co-negotiated with developers to triple affordable housing units in The Reef development project. PolicyLink provided legal counsel through Mitchell Tsai and Julian Gross (PolicyLink Fellow) to secure approximately 70 affordable units and $20 million in housing investment.
• United Neighbors in Defense Against Displacement (UNIDAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIDAD coalition was co-founded by SAJE in 2008 to ensure community input in large developments in the Figueroa Corridor. Together they brokered community benefits agreements including for the Lorenzo development and USC.
• L.A. MetrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE has been assisting L.A. Metro since 2024 in developing an Equity Toolkit, providing insights into community experiences with transit projects. Contributed rider testimonials and engagement activities to inform Equity Indicators, Key Terms, and Community Engagement Best Practices.
• Small Business Anti-Displacement Network (SBAN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE hosted SBAN for a site visit on climate gentrification. SBAN is a cohort of 200+ member organizations supporting more than 38,000 small businesses. Together they work on preventing displacement of BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses.
• Los Angeles Center for Community Law and Action (LACCLA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACCLA provided legal counsel and representation in a code enforcement lawsuit alongside SAJE and affected tenants against an abusive landlord for dilapidated housing conditions.
• HealthyLA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthyLA coalition consists of 300+ organizations across LA County working on tenant protections. SAJE participates in advocacy efforts including successful campaigns for eviction moratoriums and rent freezes.
• Right to Counsel CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE co-founded and leads the Right to Counsel coalition advocating for universal access to legal representation for tenants facing eviction. Coalition successfully won Measure ULA funding for tenant defense programs.
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth organizations work on tenant defense and housing justice. SAJE advocates for funding while LAFLA provides direct legal representation under programs like Stay Housed LA.
• Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE partnered with this coalition to broker one of the first community benefit agreements in the nation for the Staples Center in 2001.
• Right to the City AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE co-founded this national organization in 2007 fighting for the right to the city for all residents regardless of race, class, ethnicity, or citizenship.
• ACT-LA (Alliance for Community Transit)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAJE partnered with ACT-LA and labor allies to pass Measure JJJ in 2016, requiring labor standards and affordable housing quotas for certain developments.
• Public CounselmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic Counsel represented SAJE and ACCE Action in defending Los Angeles COVID-19 tenant protections against a landlord industry lawsuit seeking to void eviction protection and rent freeze ordinances.
• Susman Godfrey LLPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm provided legal representation alongside Public Counsel and Western Center on Law and Poverty in defending LA's COVID-19 tenant protections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Center on Law and Poverty: California-wide legal advocacy organization focused on housing, health, and poverty law. Co-defended LA tenant protections with SAJE and operates in the same state-level advocacy space.
• PolicyLink: National research and advocacy institute focused on equity and equitable development. Co-negotiated The Reef project with SAJE, making it a direct peer in equitable urban development advocacy.
• ACCE Action: Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment — a statewide tenant and community organizing network. Co-led COVID tenant protection defense with SAJE; directly comparable organizing model in housing justice.
• Public Counsel: Largest pro bono law firm in the U.S. and a frequent legal partner on tenant protection cases with SAJE (e.g., COVID-19 eviction protections litigation). Directly comparable in mission of legal advocacy for vulnerable LA residents.
• Right to the City Alliance: National alliance of community organizations fighting displacement — co-founded by SAJE in 2007. Directly comparable in mission and organizing approach to anti-displacement and housing rights.
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA): LA's largest provider of free civil legal services to low-income residents, including tenant defense under Stay Housed LA. Directly comparable mission in housing justice for low-income Angelenos, and a frequent co-defendant/co-advocate with SAJE.
• ACT-LA (Alliance for Community Transit): LA-based coalition advancing equitable transit and housing policy. Co-passed Measure JJJ with SAJE in 2016; directly comparable in community-led policy advocacy on equitable development.
• Los Angeles Center for Community Law and Action (LACCLA): Community law center providing tenant defense and code enforcement representation in LA. Co-litigated with SAJE against abusive landlords; directly comparable in tenant rights advocacy model.
• Inner City Law Center: LA-based legal aid organization focused on homelessness prevention, tenant rights, and affordable housing. Operates in the same funding pool and serves overlapping client populations as SAJE.

Emerging players

• Anti-Eviction Mapping and Data Visualization Project: Data and storytelling collective documenting displacement. Comparable in its use of displacement data assets (akin to SAJE's OWN-IT! tool) and tenant advocacy focus, though with a different organizing model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/saje_shiftpower
• Facebookfacebook.com/strategicactions
• Instagraminstagram.com/saje_southla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strategic-actions-for-a-just-economy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Strategic Actions for a Just Economy