Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future

Overview

SAHF is a 501(c)(3) membership organization comprised of not-for-profit organizations who own rental units affordable to approximately 70,000 low-income households in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. SAHF’s seven members are Mercy Housing; National Affordable Housing Trust; National Church Residences; NHT/Enterprise; Preservation of Affordable Housing; Retirement Housing Foundation; and Volunteers of America. A defining characteristic of SAHF’s members is their commitment to long-term, sustainable ownership and continued affordability.

Mission

Each of SAHF's members is committed to the acquisition and long-term ownership of affordable rental housing. SAHF's members believe that the goal of ownership is to provide well-maintained rental homes that remain affordable over the long-term. Such homes provide essential stability for low-wage, low-income families, the elderly, and disabled individuals.

Program

SAHF supports the work of its members in a number of ways: by promoting policies that enable them to acquire and own affordable housing; by facilitating peer-to-peer interaction, and; by pursuing innovative financing mechanisms. SAHF’s peer groups focus on resident services, energy efficiency, financial operations, and asset management. SAHF’s policy work is focused primarily on educating lawmakers and regulators regarding the effects of laws, rules, and administrative practices that undermine its members’ ownership goal — specifically, operations that are sustainable over the long-term so as to provide maximum stability for low-income renters, and renewed and continuing affordability.

Impact

SAHF was launched in 2003. Since that time, its members have developed or preserved approximately 13,000 affordable rental homes. Through 2008, SAHF’s member expect to provide an additional 8,000 affordable apartments in communities across the nation. These apartments will serve low-wage working families and disabled individuals, low-income seniors, and formerly homeless men and women.

Countries of Operation

Puerto Rico, United States, Virgin Islands, U.s.