Transform housing. Empower communities.
Pathway to Equity
Pathway to Equity is a nonprofit housing and community development organization working at the intersection of affordable housing development, community land trusts, and cooperative incubation.
Building Equity Through Housing
Pathway to Equity was founded to address the housing crisis by providing pathways to equity, stability, and community through shared-equity ownership models, resident education, workforce housing access, and community empowerment services. Our mission is to create lasting change by ensuring that affordable housing is not just a place to live but a foundation for financial security and community well-being. Through our innovative approach, we aim to empower individuals and families to build wealth, gain financial literacy, and actively participate in the governance of their communities. By prioritizing workforce housing access and community empowerment, we strive to create inclusive and sustainable solutions that benefit both residents and the broader community.
đź—ą Our Mission
To transform affordable housing into a pathway to equity, opportunity, and self-governance. Unlike rental-only models that trap families in dependency — and often disappear when affordability restrictions expire — Pathway to Equity creates permanent, resident-owned communities that combine:
Safeguards Informed by Precedent – Learning from models like Evergreen Cooperatives, which showed both the potential and challenges of linking community wealth and worker ownership. Pathway to Equity incorporates stronger safeguards — mixed-income design, resident education before ownership, and governance checks — to ensure long-term viability and equity retention.
Shared-Equity Ownership – Residents build wealth over time while affordability is preserved.
Tenant-to-Owner Transitions – Converting at-risk affordable housing into resident-owned cooperatives.
Resident Education & Apprenticeship – Preparing households to sustain ownership and governance long-term.
Community Empowerment – Creating jobs and financial access through worker-owned service enterprises and local credit unions.
Equity Starts at Home with Pathway to Equity
Our Services
We offer a comprehensive range of programs and initiatives aimed at transforming affordable housing into a pathway to equity, opportunity, and self-governance. Our services are designed to empower individuals and communities, providing them with the tools and resources they need to build wealth, gain financial literacy, and actively participate in the governance of their living spaces. Through innovative shared-equity ownership models, resident education programs, workforce housing access initiatives, and community empowerment services, we strive to create lasting change and foster inclusive, sustainable communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Housing Development & Preservation
Build new mixed-income housing and convert at-risk affordable housing before affordability restrictions expire.
Shared-Equity Ownership Models
Use hybrid CLT + LEC structures to ensure permanent affordability while allowing residents to build wealth.
Tenant & Resident Education
Deliver a 24-month training program in financial literacy, cooperative governance, property management, and equity building.
Workforce Housing Access
Prioritize essential workers (hospitality, service, teachers, healthcare) through partnerships with unions and employers.
Resident Governance Support
Provide technical assistance, audits, and oversight to strengthen self-governance.
Community Empowerment Services
Establish worker-owned service cooperatives (maintenance, landscaping, bookkeeping, security) to create jobs and reinvest dollars locally.
Creating Stability and Wealth Through Affordable Housing
What Sets Us Apart
At Pathway to Equity, we understand the pressing challenges faced by families in Los Angeles and Maui, where housing affordability issues have led to families being priced out and workers juggling multiple part-time jobs without benefits. Our organization was born out of a deep-rooted commitment to transform housing from a cycle of dependency into a catalyst for equity, stability, and community well-being.
Our founder’s personal experiences in Santa Monica, Venice, and Maui have fueled our mission to address the widening wealth disparity between renters and owners, where affordable housing remains locked in rental cycles. Witnessing firsthand the struggles of families trying to make ends meet while lacking a clear path to equity, we are dedicated to reshaping the narrative around housing as a fundamental pillar for stability and prosperity.
In Maui, where the housing crisis is particularly acute, the prevalence of individuals working multiple part-time jobs without benefits underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions. As a small infill developer in Los Angeles, our founder has gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of financing structures, affordability restrictions, and regulatory processes, shaping our approach to creating a nonprofit model that goes beyond providing shelter to building wealth and fostering thriving communities.
Pathway to Equity is aligned with and inspired by organizations and models advancing shared-equity housing and employee ownership, including:
- National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) – advancing employee-ownership structures nationally.
- California Community Land Trust Network – coordinating permanently affordable housing efforts across California.
- Evergreen Cooperatives (Cleveland, OH) – an early attempt to link worker co-ops with community wealth building, which demonstrated both the promise and the pitfalls of scale and sustainability. Pathway to Equity builds on these lessons by combining housing equity (via CLT–LEC structures) with employee-owned service enterprises.
- Mondragón (Spain) – the world’s most recognized worker cooperative federation, proving long-term viability of cooperative ownership at scale.
Pathway, not just shelter
Moving families from renting to ownership and stability.
Hybrid innovation
Combining CLT permanence with LEC cooperative ownership.
Mixed-income stability
Preventing “warehousing” of poverty.
Conversion expertise
Tackling LIHTC expirations through resident-led purchase.
Education-first approach
Governance and financial literacy training before ownership.
Worker housing priority
Securing units for essential workers.
Accountability safeguards
Transparent governance, independent audits, and nonprofit oversight.
Let’s Connect
Reach out to Pathway to Equity to learn more about our services and how we can help you transform affordable housing into equity and opportunity.
Phone: (808) 215-6260
Email: info@path2equity.org
Hours: M – F, 9a – 5p PST
