STARTUPS TAKING ON THE HOUSING CRISIS
Landed
Helps teachers afford down payments on homes in their school districts.
Starcity
Creates new housing by buying and renovating abandoned buildings and converting them into longterm rental units.
Home Slice
Helps groups of people purchase a home together.
Roofstock
Helps landlords buy and sell occupied buildings without displacing tenants.
Haven Connect
Helps get people into low-income, affordable housing by streamlining the onerous application process.
HomeSlice: This Berkeley-based startup makes it easier for groups of people to buy a home together. HomeSlice helps potential buyers draft a co-ownership agreement, and connects them with real estate agents and lenders. The company plans to launch a beta test of the platform in mid-November. To learn more visit home-slice.io.
Landed: Launched in 2015 by two recent Stanford Business School grads, Landed helps Bay Area teachers afford a home in their school district. The startup connects a teacher with investors who contribute to their down payment and in return receive equity in the home. To learn more visit landed.com.
Roofstock: Oakland-based Roofstock runs an online platform where landlords can buy and sell properties in which tenants are already living. The unique business model prevents renters from getting displaced when a building changes hands. So far the startup has sold about 50 buildings in the Bay Area, and is operating in more than a dozen other markets around the country. To learn more visit roofstock.com.
Starcity: Starcity is tackling the Bay Area’s housing shortage by creating new rental units. The startup, launched about a year ago, buys vacant hotels, commercial buildings and other unused spaces, renovates them and converts them into communal housing. Renters have their own bedrooms, but share kitchens and other common areas. Starcity runs two buildings in San Francisco, and is developing another six. To learn more visit joinstarcity.com.
Haven Connect: This Berkeley-based startup, which launched its first pilot program in June 2016, streamlines the process of applying for affordable housing. People can apply online, quickly filling out paperwork for multiple properties at once. To learn more visit havenconnect.com.
Affordable Equity: Oakland-based Affordable Equity is pioneering a new type of landlord-tenant relationship. The startup, which is gearing up to buy single-family or small multi-unit, low-income buildings, will offer its renters equity in its properties. To learn more, or donate to help fund the project, visit chuffed.org/project/affordable-equity.