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Check Out Our Member Stories

Supporting small businesses nationwide

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Read Our Annual Report

See the numbers of how we supported our communities

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Connect with our team to see how you can be a part of the mission

Reach Out

Real Estate Development

Revolution Mill in Greensboro, N.C.

Inclusive, equitable real estate development grounded in community interests

$340+ million invested
25+ projects
375+ active leases to small businesses, nonprofits and more
15+ communities
Our connection to community

Self-Help builds and revitalizes buildings and spaces that strengthen communities. Focus areas include affordable housing developments, community hubs, and spaces for nonprofits and small businesses.

Our connection to community

Self-Help builds and revitalizes buildings and spaces that strengthen communities. Focus areas include affordable housing developments, community hubs, and spaces for nonprofits and small businesses.

$340+ million invested
25+ projects
375+ active leases to small businesses, nonprofits and more
15+ communities

Affordable Housing

We develop and preserve high-quality affordable housing, prioritizing community input, powerful partnerships, and energy-efficiency. Our projects include:

  • Multifamily rentals that provide high-quality, affordable space for low and very-low income tenants, like Willard Street Apartments in Durham, North Carolina.
  • Preserving existing affordable housing in communities where housing costs are skyrocketing, like our partnership with LA Más in Los Angeles. 
  • Senior living developments that provide a modern, affordable option to allow seniors to age in place, like Ashton Place in Durham, North Carolina.

Community Real Estate Development

We build and revitalize vibrant community spaces. Our projects include:

  • Live-work-create campuses, like the 45-acre Revolution Mill project in Greensboro, North Carolina.
  • High-quality office, retail and community spaces for small businesses, nonprofits, and community institutions, like the Beacon Point commercial development in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Seaway Bank HQ Building Renovation

Chicago, IL

In Chicago’s South Side neighborhood of Chatham, we undertook an extensive $14.5+ million (total development costs) renovation of the historically important headquarters of Seaway, a Division of Self-Help Federal Credit Union. This project used New Markets Tax Credits to support the renovation of a 38,000+ square feet building for a credit union branch, community meeting facilities, and offices for community partners like Neighborhood Housing Services.

Willard Street Apartments

Durham, NC

Willard Street Apartments is an affordable mixed-use apartment community in downtown Durham, right by a transit hub. It includes 82 affordable rental units, a 5,000-square-foot nonprofit dental clinic, and structured parking. 

The $21 million investment came to fruition in 2021, thanks to community advocacy and a strong development partnership between Self-Help and fellow nonprofit DHIC, Inc. The project won North Carolina’s top award for excellence in affordable housing in 2022.

Fruitvale Seniors

Oakland, CA

In Oakland’s historic Fruitvale neighborhood, we are developing a multi-phase 100% affordable housing community. The project is right next to transit options and will include 68 high-quality, service-enriched homes for low-income seniors, including formerly unhoused residents and veterans. The property is being developed in partnership with a Fruitvale-based community development nonprofit.

Creating economic opportunity for all is the heart of Self-Help’s mission. We believe that inclusive, equitable real estate development grounded in community interests furthers that mission. We strive to create high-quality yet affordable spaces that revitalize neighborhoods and help residents, business owners, and communities thrive.

We partner with organizations and communities.

Our ideal project transforms an underutilized building or parcel into a vibrant new use that supports community interests and aligns with Self-Help’s mission.

We develop and manage real estate from concept through operation. We bring strong skills to each project:

  • Nearly 30 years of experience developing and managing a wide variety of real estate, including office, retail, community facilities, affordable housing and more.
  • Team of 20+ professionals with expertise in community engagement, development and finance, construction, leasing and property/asset management.
  • Access to talented in-house staff providing legal, accounting, communications, fundraising and other specialized support.
  • Expertise with public-private partnerships, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and other financing tools.

Check out our information on what kinds of projects we take on, and what partnering with us typically looks like.

If you'd like to lease space with us, check out our current spaces for lease and reach out to the leasing contact for the property you are interested in.

Our investors and supporters provide liquidity that helps to funds this work. Your dollars support impactful community investments, and we welcome support of all kinds. Explore investment options.

We do! For more information, explore our commercial real estate loans, multifamily housing loans, or affordable housing loan fund programs.

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