The Kennedy Commission

What The Kennedy Commission does

The Kennedy Commission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Irvine, California, that advances affordable housing in Orange County through policy advocacy, community organizing, and educational tools. Its primary stakeholders are extremely low- and very low-income households in Orange County, Orange County residents in underserved neighborhoods, and local government jurisdictions needing support on state-mandated housing element compliance. The Commission engages all 35 Orange County jurisdictions on land-use and affordable housing policy, organizes residents through three program networks (Resident United Network, Vecindario Lacy en Acción, and Homes For All: South OC), and runs annual convenings including the Affordable Housing Awards Breakfast.

Its core technology consists of GIS-based data products: the Community Profile Navigation Tool provides interactive census-tract level visualization of race, ethnicity, income, tenure, and overcrowding data; the OC Housing Element Tracker monitors RHNA progress across 35 jurisdictions; and the annual OC Affordable Housing Needs Report, co-published with California Housing Partnership, documents conditions for low-income renters. These tools support both internal advocacy and external use by residents, advocates, and policymakers.

The Commission is funded through tax-deductible donations, an annual membership program, and event sponsorships. Institutional support comes from a diversified portfolio of corporate funders (Bank of America, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Irvine Company, Farmers Insurance) and foundations (Weingart Foundation, St. Joseph Health, Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco). Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Strategic priorities for 2026 include advocating for a one-billion-dollar countywide local housing bond, Housing Opportunities Zoning reforms, and expanded by-right approval pathways for 100% affordable multi-family developments.

Name

The Kennedy Commission

Legal name

The Kennedy Commission

Website

https://kennedycommission.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Kennedy Commission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 in Irvine, California, that advocates for affordable housing in Orange County through policy engagement with all 35 local jurisdictions, resident-led community organizing networks, GIS-based data tools, and the annual OC Affordable Housing Needs Report.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Advocacy & Policy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Administration of Housing Programs (925110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Affordable housing advocacy
• Community organizing programs
• Housing policy research
• Nonprofit housing coalition
• GIS housing data tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting affordable housing advocacy. Kennedy Commission is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with ID #33-0959380.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership program offering benefits including advocacy engagement, event invitations, registration discounts, and member website/newsletter features.
3. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from annual events including Affordable Housing Awards Breakfast and policy roundtables.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Kennedy Commission advocates for and increases the supply of affordable housing in Orange County, California, through policy advocacy, grassroots community organizing, and data-driven research tools. It produces the annual OC Affordable Housing Needs Report, operates the Community Profile Navigation Tool and OC Housing Element Tracker, and runs community organizing programs (Resident United Network, Vecindario Lacy en Acción, Homes For All: South OC) to mobilize residents and engage the 35 Orange County jurisdictions, state, and federal policymakers on affordable-housing policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Homes For All: South Orange County (South OC): A collective of community members and community-based organizations working together to advocate for building more affordable homes in South Orange County. Created in 2023 through the Equity in Orange County (EiOC) grant from the Orange County Department of Health.
• Resident United Network (RUN)

Products and services

• Community Profile Navigation Tool

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,280 new affordable homes constructed in Orange County since 2006
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• SCANPH (Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership hosting educational events including TCAC Crash Course on Low Income Housing Tax Credit financing for affordable housing developers.
• California Housing PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership developing the annual Orange County Affordable Housing Needs Report documenting housing conditions for low-income renters. California Housing Partnership provides data analysis while Kennedy Commission contributes local advocacy expertise.
• Housing CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership focusing on legislation that will increase resources for the development of affordable housing. Joint advocacy on state housing policy priorities.
• California Housing ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy partnership working on legislation to increase resources for affordable housing development in California.
• Resident United Network (RUN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition present in seven California regions including Orange County. Connects affordable housing residents and formerly homeless individuals to advocate for better state housing laws.
• THRIVE Santa AnamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create a Community Land Trust (CLT) focusing on preservation and expansion of affordable housing, community gardens, urban microfarms, and community spaces for local entrepreneurship.
• League of Women Voters of Orange CoastminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of Affordable Housing: Foundations and Fundamentals educational workshop.
• Welcoming Neighbors HomemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Homes For All: South Orange County collective advocating for affordable housing in South OC communities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thekennedycommission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 The Kennedy Commission