Here to Stay
Real estate is our tool. Housing stability, economic mobility, and community power are the goal. MEDA’s Community Real Estate program transforms buildings into lasting community assets—keeping Mission families housed, rooted, and thriving.
MEDA’s Community Real Estate (CRE) program was launched in summer 2014 as an urgent response to the displacement crisis hitting San Francisco’s Mission District. Once a supportive home for working-class families, the Mission has become one of the most unaffordable neighborhoods in the nation. Between 2000 and 2019, the Latino population dropped by over 9,000 residents—nearly one in three—due to eviction, rising rents, and a lack of stable housing options.
MEDA is reversing this trend. We are using our decades of experience to keep low-income and immigrant families rooted in place—while building pathways for them to thrive.
Our Community Real Estate work goes beyond buildings. We create sustainable community assets that stabilize neighborhoods and support long-term economic mobility. With a focus on the Mission District, we develop 100% affordable housing, acquire and rehabilitate vulnerable buildings, and ensure lasting affordability through community-based ownership and stewardship.
From site identification to long-term asset management, our team leads every phase of the development process. We:
How We Stay Rooted
When Arold fled his country after the tragic loss of his wife, his focus turned fully to his young son, Samuel, who was born prematurely and lives with a visual impairment. With wraparound support from Mission Promise Neighborhood partners...
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As a longtime Mission resident and father of two, Leonardo Luna knows what it means to fight for housing stability. His journey with MEDA began in 2010, when he found free tax support while taking English classes at City College.
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Nayeli Bustamante was referred to MEDA by the San Francisco Human Services Agency as she sought to start her own business. With guidance from MEDA’s Fondo Adelante business development program, she was able to plan safely and sustainably—and access capital through an innovative Fondo Adelante loan product.
Read more >A Thriving Local Economy
MEDA activates the commercial spaces in its real estate portfolio to support local small businesses and nonprofits that reflect and serve the Mission District. These ground-floor spaces are more than storefronts—they’re hubs of culture, care, and economic vitality.
We prioritize tenants whose work aligns with our mission: family-serving entrepreneurs, culturally rooted enterprises, and nonprofit organizations advancing equity and opportunity. While ensuring the financial sustainability of our buildings, we’re equally focused on uplifting the businesses and institutions that make the Mission thrive.
By keeping commercial space accessible and mission-aligned, MEDA strengthens the neighborhood’s cultural fabric and supports a resilient local economy built by and for the community.
