For more than four decades, Townspeople has been working to address some of San Diego County’s most pressing housing challenges. Guided by the belief that housing is the foundation for health, stability, and opportunity, the organization provides affordable housing, supportive services, and innovative housing solutions to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
What began in 1984 as a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has evolved into a comprehensive effort to end homelessness and improve community health throughout San Diego County. We connected with the Townspeople team to learn more about their mission, impact, and the work they are doing to help create a future where everyone has a safe place to call home.
Tell us about Townspeople.
Since its founding, Townspeople has remained steadfast in its commitment to following the research, which shows that the solution to homelessness is providing a safe, secure home first and ensuring wraparound supportive services to maintain housing stability and improve overall health and well-being. Our journey began in 1984 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, initially providing housing and support to those affected by the virus. Recognizing the interconnectedness of homelessness and the ensuing health challenges, in 1994, Townspeople opened San Diego’s first permanent supportive housing program for people living with HIV/AIDS. In the decades since, we have tirelessly worked to finance, build, and operate affordable housing while providing essential support services to medically vulnerable individuals. Our journey is a testament to our dedication to equitable opportunities and social stability.
What is your primary goal?
Townspeople recognizes that having a place to call home is the foundation for health and wellness. Our core activities include:
- Developing and managing affordable housing units.
- Providing life-saving emergency assistance.
- Offering supportive services that adhere to person-centered best practices.
- Advocating for the rights of those in need.
We firmly believe that “Housing is Healthcare” and strive to help ensure everyone in our community can live a healthy, safe, and dignified life.
Can you describe your mission, vision and core values?
At Townspeople, we envision a fully housed San Diego where homelessness is eradicated, and the health and well-being of our community thrive.
Mission Statement: To end homelessness and improve community health by providing housing and services.
Who are the communities you serve?
In 2025, Townspeople served 593 unduplicated participants across San Diego County, including 44 veterans and 157 individuals identified as chronically homeless. More than 80 percent of the participants we served had incomes below 30 percent of Area Median Income, and our Permanent Supportive Housing program achieved a 92 percent housing stability rate.
How are volunteers a part of your organization? How can people get involved?
Most of Townspeople’s day-to-day work is carried out by housing and supportive services professionals, but we’re always looking for more ways to involve community members in our mission.
Volunteers can support special projects such as move-in kit assembly, donation drives, property beautification efforts, community events, and resident engagement activities. We also welcome individuals interested in sharing professional skills, serving on committees, advocating for affordable housing, or helping us build greater awareness of housing and homelessness issues. We’d love to grow our volunteer program and create more opportunities for people who want to be part of building housing solutions in San Diego.
How has your organization grown?
Townspeople was founded in 1984 to address the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Over the past four decades, our mission has expanded to serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability throughout San Diego County. Today, Townspeople operates affordable housing communities, provides supportive services, leads innovative shared housing initiatives, and works alongside community partners to create new pathways to housing stability.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the growth of the San Diego Shared Housing Collaborative. Housing costs continue to rise faster than incomes, and shared housing gives people access to safe, affordable housing that often wouldn’t otherwise be within reach. Shared housing creates access to existing housing stock by helping people find compatible housemates and secure stable housing they might not otherwise be able to afford on their own.
In 2025, we served 593 people across San Diego County, including 44 veterans and 157 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Behind every one of those numbers is a person working toward stability, health, and a place to call home.
What do your donor dollars allow you to do?
Donor dollars provide flexibility where it is often needed most. They allow us to respond quickly to urgent housing crises, help individuals overcome barriers that prevent them from obtaining or maintaining housing, and invest in innovative solutions that may not fit neatly within traditional grant funding requirements.
Donor dollars help us fill the gaps that traditional funding often can’t cover. Sometimes that’s helping someone move into housing. Sometimes it’s replacing a mattress, paying for transportation, covering an unexpected expense, or investing in a new idea that has the potential to help more people find stable housing. They also allow us to respond quickly when opportunities or challenges arise. In a world where many funding sources are restricted and highly regulated, donor support gives us the flexibility to do what’s needed when it’s needed.
What makes your organization unique?
What makes Townspeople unique is our willingness to think differently about housing challenges. We combine affordable housing ownership, supportive services, landlord engagement, and shared housing strategies to create practical solutions for people who are struggling to find housing in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets. We focus on meeting people where they are and helping them access housing options that fit their needs, while also working to expand the overall supply of affordable housing opportunities in our community. We believe there is no single solution to homelessness, which is why we’re constantly looking for practical, scalable approaches that create more housing opportunities for more people.
What are the biggest challenges your organization faces?
Like many housing-focused nonprofits, Townspeople operates in an environment where the need for affordable housing far exceeds the available resources. Rising housing costs, limited housing supply, increasing operating expenses, and uncertainty in public funding all create ongoing challenges.
At the same time, we’re seeing more and more people who are working, receiving benefits, or doing everything they’re supposed to do and still can’t afford housing. The math simply isn’t working for many San Diegans. Addressing homelessness requires immediate solutions for people in crisis, but it also requires long-term investments that make housing more affordable and accessible in the first place.
How has Evergreen Alliance impacted the work you do?
Evergreen Alliance has become one of those partners that feels like an extension of our staff. Their team has helped us strengthen not just our financial systems, but our understanding of our finances. They don’t simply prepare reports or answer accounting questions. They help us think strategically, understand trends, evaluate options, and make better decisions.
As a nonprofit leader, it can sometimes feel like you’re navigating complicated financial challenges on your own. Evergreen has consistently been there as a trusted advisor, sounding board, and thought partner. Their guidance has helped strengthen Townspeople as an organization and positioned us to better serve our community. That’s a rare thing to find in an accounting firm, and it’s something we’re incredibly grateful for.
