The Capacity Catalyst program provides one-on-one assistance and support for CLTs at different stages of development. It offers project-specific, low-cost or free technical services — including consulting in real estate development, financial management, and construction management — provided by experienced SFCLT staff. By supporting organizations to understand and undertake these complex tasks, SFCLT helps CLTs across the region become more skilled and better positioned to serve their communities.
SFCLT created the program in early 2025 to address technical and financial barriers facing emerging CLTs. Following a successful pilot, SFCLT launched the full program in 2026, offering coordinated, below-market technical support to organizations across the region.
Technical Assistance Opportunities
For emerging and established community-based developers.
Acquisition Support & Brokerage Locate properties that meet organization’s criteria, support negotiation with sellers, manage inspections and due diligence, and coordinate the process through close of escrow.
Pro Forma Development Assist with budgeting for acquisitions, including feasibility analysis, identifying funding gaps, operating budget and reserve planning, and support in lender meetings.
Property Due Diligence Assist in site visits at potential acquisition properties, identify building condition concerns, and help estimate value and rehab costs.
Construction Management Consulting Share best practices for planning and managing projects of any size, advising on budget, schedule, invoices, change orders, and quality control.
Asset Management Consulting Help organizations keep properties fiscally stable through reserve and asset planning, annual property reviews, tax exemption applications, and refinance support.
Pilot Results (2025)
In its pilot phase, Capacity Catalyst contributed more than 100 hours of technical assistance to four Bay Area CLTs, enabling:
The pilot projects included asset management, brokerage, and construction management assistance:
Bolinas CLT — Assisted in obtaining 20-year Capital Needs Assessments for all of the buildings in their portfolio and then helped process the reports and utilize them for long term building upkeep planning
Richmond LAND — Provided brokerage services for the title transfer of the Tiny Homes Eco Village Project, and helped address high expenses at a property to ensure financial stability into the future
SHCLA (Supportive Housing Community Land Alliance) — Provided brokerage services and facilitated a building search by setting up tours that met the specific criteria for SHCLA’s Family Partnership Model, accelerating their acquisition timeline
Northern California Land Trust — Guided a successful renovation project for NCLT’s co-op, including obtaining and signing off on permits, getting contractors paid, and enabling tenants to move back in—advancing difficult pieces of a project to bring it to completion and get residents back in their homes
Program Approach
The Capacity Catalyst program looks to meet CLTs where they are at in their development and portfolio management processes and provide the assistance that is needed to move their work forward. We customize each project to meet the CLTs needs, experience level, and what they are looking to get out of it – sometimes it’s a more educational process where we are working with staff to gain skill as we move the project forward, and sometimes we are stepping in to pick up work the team doesn’t have time to address.
Regardless of the approach, each project features an intake process to identify exactly what is needed, progress check-ins along the way to assure we are on track as unexpected challenges arise, and exit interviews once the work is complete to learn from the experience and inform our future work.
In feedback on the Pilot projects, partner CLTs reported a 4.75/5 rating on overall satisfaction with the work and with SFCLT, sharing:
“SFCLT delivered exactly what we needed and was consistently responsive
to our requests. It was a true pleasure working with their team”
“Emily helped move forward a project that was stalling, and aided myself
who has limited experience with project management. She was a great teacher”
“SFCLT was responsive and consistent,
providing technical expertise on the closing process”
To learn more, email Kristen Villalobos at kvillalobos@sfclt.org
Capacity Catalyst services are advisory. SFCLT staff share best practices and provide consultation; they do not act as licensed engineers, architects, or construction consultants. Brokerage and acquisition services are provided through a licensed broker.