Casas De Luz

What Casas De Luz does

Casas de Luz is a 501c3-aligned non-profit house-building organization founded in 2005 by Kathy Faller in Solana Beach, California. It operates across the San Diego/Tijuana border, building modular homes for families living in poverty in Tijuana and sleeping cottages for vulnerable individuals in San Diego. The core products are two standardized home models: a 16x20 unit (320 sq ft) priced at $12,500 and a 16x24 unit (384 sq ft) with bathroom priced at $13,000, both delivered with drywall, shingled roof, electricity, furniture, and concrete foundation. The organization also operates two community centers in Tijuana, Peña de Horeb (built 2013) and Faro de Luz (built 2018), which deliver food security, education, after-school, and spiritual programming.

The business model is entirely donation-driven. Revenue streams include home build sponsorships (groups raise $11,500-$13,000 per build), per-person builder fees ($75), in-kind donations of furniture, building materials, and household items (over 900 truckloads historically), and targeted cottage sponsorships. Distribution is conducted through a volunteer-driven, community-led go-to-market: schools, churches, companies, and families sponsor teams of 20-35 builders who travel to Tijuana for 2-day weekend builds. Operational support is provided by partner organizations including Casa Hogar de los Niños (volunteer accommodation), Mission Circle (cottage funding), Lazarian World Homes (materials), and Baja Bound (insurance).

As of 2026, Casas de Luz has announced integration with Doxa, an established 501c3 nonprofit with EIN 91-1765897 working in Tijuana for over 30 years, transferring stewardship to the larger parent entity for long-term sustainability. The organization has built over 200 homes and two community centers since inception, employs 1-10 staff, and operates with a lean team of founder, donations coordinators, master carpenters, and high school leadership mentors.

Name

Casas De Luz

Legal name

Casas de Luz

Website

https://casasdeluz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Casas de Luz is a Solana Beach-based non-profit that builds standardized modular homes for families in poverty across the San Diego/Tijuana border, operating through volunteer-driven builds funded by sponsorships and in-kind donations, alongside two community centers providing food security and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Residential Building Construction (23611)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cabins & Cottages (THAMADAA)

Keywords

• Volunteer-built housing
• Nonprofit home construction
• Community development programs
• Charity housing services
• Border community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Solana Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Home Build Sponsorships: Groups and individuals raise $11,500-$12,500 to sponsor a home build. Covers foundation and all building materials. Sponsor fee varies by model.
2. Builder Fees: $75 per person builder fee covers meals, accommodation, snacks, water, and porta-potty for the weekend build.
3. In-Kind Donations: Receives donated furniture, household items, clothing, and building materials from US donors to furnish homes and reduce costs.
4. Cottage Sponsorships: Monetary donations specifically for sleeping cottages in San Diego area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Casas de Luz is a nonprofit house-building organization that constructs standardized 16'x20' (320 sq ft) and 16'x24' (384 sq ft) modular homes for families in poverty in Tijuana, Mexico, and sleeping cottages for vulnerable individuals in San Diego, using volunteer-driven weekend builds. The organization supports these construction programs with community centers (Peña de Horeb and Faro de Luz), a High School Leadership Team internship, food security distributions, and an in-kind donation program that furnishes completed homes with donated furniture and household items.

Product overview

Casas de Luz is a house-building nonprofit organization founded in 2005, operating as a platform-plus-programs model. The core offerings include home building programs featuring two model types (Standard 16'x20' and Home with Bathroom 16'x24'), sleeping cottages in San Diego, and two community centers (Peña de Horeb and Faro de Luz). Supporting programs include a High School Leadership Team internship, Holiday Parties and Toy Drive, Re-purposing With A Purpose donation program, Despensas de Luz food security initiative, and volunteer/donation programs. The organization operates across the San Diego/Tijuana border, transforming over 1,000 lives through housing and community development since 2005.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Peña de Horeb: Community center and church in Cumbres, Tijuana, offering breakfast club, after-school programs, and community services
• Faro de Luz
• High School Leadership Team
• Holiday Parties
• Re-purposing With A Purpose
• Despensas de Luz
• Generación Infantil de Jesús

Products and services

• Standard Home (16'x20') A 320-square-foot standard modular home built for families in poverty in Tijuana, featuring drywall, shingled roof, 3 windows, 1 door, 3 rooms, electricity, furniture, and concrete foundation. Sponsored by groups of up to 30 people for $12,500.
• Home with Bathroom (16'x24') A 384-square-foot modular home with all standard home features plus an additional 64 square feet and a bathroom with plumbing, providing recipient families with extra space and modern amenities. Priced at $13,000.
• Sleeping Cottages Furnished sleeping cottages constructed and supported for vulnerable individuals in San Diego, addressing housing needs on the U.S. side of the San Diego/Tijuana border community.
• Peña de Horeb Community Center A community center and church in the Cumbres community of Tijuana offering the Generaci\u00f3n Infantil de Jes\u00fas breakfast club, after-school programs, and educational classes for community members.
• Faro de Luz (Lighthouse Ministry) Community Center A church and community center in El Ranchito, Tijuana, supporting vulnerable communities with food security programs, adult education, youth programs, and spiritual support. The name means 'lighthouse' and represents hope for the community.
• High School Leadership Team Internship An internship program for high school students (sophomores through seniors) that develops leadership skills through fundraising, home build participation, and organizational support activities.
• Holiday Parties and Toy Drive Annual toy drive in November and December holiday parties at community centers, providing games, crafts, food, raffles, and gift distribution for children aged 0-16 in Tijuana.
• Re-purposing With A Purpose A donation program that collects furniture, household items, clothing, and building materials from U.S. donors and transports them to Tijuana to furnish completed homes and community centers, keeping usable items out of landfills while reducing building costs.
• Despensas de Luz Food Security Program A monthly food security program that provides groceries to families in the Faro de Luz (El Ranchito) community, addressing food insecurity among vulnerable Tijuana households.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 homes built since 2005, transforming over a thousand lives
• +2 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DoxacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026As of 2026, Casas de Luz is joining hands with Doxa, a 501c3 non-profit organization working exclusively in Tijuana for over 30 years. This transfer of stewardship is rooted in deep alignment of values and common vision for serving families in Tijuana. The partnership brings combined volunteer base, long-term partner relationships, and complementary strengths for greater sustainability.
• Lazarian World HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated all materials for building Faro de Luz community center and El Ranchito. Built a two-story building with 4 classrooms and spacious church at Peña de Horeb in 2016.
• Mission Circle (St. James-St. Leo Catholic Community)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAll-volunteer outreach ministry with over 40 years of service. Committed funding for materials and volunteer labor for construction of cottages. Also performs construction and maintenance for vulnerable families in San Diego and Tijuana.
• ThrasherminorOthersLocal San Diego family-owned pest control business that helped remove termites from donation sheds.
• Baja BoundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance partner for Mexican liability insurance. Baja Bound donates money for each policy purchased through Casas de Luz's referral link for builders crossing the border.
• Casa Hogar de los NiñoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrphanage where volunteers stay during builds. Located in Tijuana with 100% gated compound, 24/7 security guard, and security system. Provides showers, flushing toilets, and mattresses for volunteer accommodation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• World Vision: Large international humanitarian organization that includes housing and community development among its programs. Overlapping mission area but vastly larger scope and professional staff structure.
• Doxa: Established 501c3 nonprofit that has worked in Tijuana for over 30 years and is integrating Casas de Luz in 2026. Comparable mission focus on Tijuana families but operates more broadly across community programming.

Direct peers

• Corazón: Nonprofit that builds homes in Tijuana for families living in poverty, partnering with US volunteer groups on weekend builds. Closest geographic and operational analog to Casas de Luz.
• New Story: Nonprofit that builds homes for families living in extreme poverty in developing countries using donor-funded construction. Comparable mission and standardized low-cost home designs.
• Habitat for Humanity: The largest volunteer-driven home builder globally, constructing affordable housing for families in need. Directly comparable to Casas de Luz through its volunteer-labor + sponsorship + homeowner-support model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Homes of Hope: Volunteer-driven home building ministry partnering with US church and youth groups to construct homes in Mexico. Closely comparable trip-based build and sponsorship model.
• PUENTE: San Diego/Tijuana border-area nonprofit addressing poverty through community development programs. Operates in the same cross-border geography with overlapping target populations.
• Esperanza International: Builds simple homes with families in the Dominican Republic, combining volunteer trips, sponsorships, and community development. Comparable mission and trip-based build model.
• Casas por Cristo: Faith-based nonprofit that constructs homes in Mexico and Latin America through short-term volunteer mission trips. Strongly comparable to Casas de Luz's volunteer build-weekend model in Mexico.

Others

• Casa Hogar de los Niños: Tijuana orphanage that hosts Casas de Luz volunteers during builds. Not a direct competitor but a key operational partner in the same border geography serving vulnerable populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/casasdeluzvolunteer
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/B79SV-fjrDo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/casas-de-luz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Casas De Luz