ABOUT ACOF
OUR MISSION
ACOF’s mission is to end homelessness through the provision of quality permanent supportive housing for people with mental illness.
OUR VALUES
DIGNITY | All people deserve respect and a home, regardless of circumstance.
EXCELLENCE | We are personally and organizationally committed to providing quality housing and services.
COMMUNITY| Our projects and services promote sustainability and serve as a foundation for stability, health and wellbeing.
EQUITY | We are committed to advancing equal opportunity and access in our work.
A Community of Friends (ACOF) is a 501(c)(3) organization that develops, owns, and manages affordable rental housing, with the mission of ending homelessness through the provision of quality Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for people with mental illness. Founded in 1988, ACOF’s vision has always been to establish a community where individuals experiencing homelessness, often marginalized by society, could find a supportive network and feel as if they were living amongst friends. This vision was born out of the impacts of deinstitutionalization in the 1970s and 1980s, which saw an increasing number of people with mental illness becoming homeless. This galvanized both government and nonprofit efforts. ACOF was established with seed funding from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and has maintained its specific mission ever since.
Being a leader in the field has meant we have had to forge our pathway to success, and as a result ACOF excels at advocacy and problem solving. For example, when ACOF realized that the crisis of housing availability for veterans could not be solved because a legal definition excluded them from being a “protected class”, we spearheaded a campaign to change state and federal law to allow for veterans-only housing, and were one of the first developers in the country to build housing for veterans once the laws were changed. As a result, the ACOF team is frequently asked to participate on policy and systems-change workgroups or committees and to serve on boards at the local, state, and national level. ACOF is a lead member of the Los Angeles County Supportive Housing Alliance – an alliance of 12 organizations devoted to education and advocacy.
ACOF’s sector-wide leadership, collaboration, and advocacy have paved the way for other organizations to follow in our footsteps, achieving positive impacts in veterans’ housing, excellence in PSH, and tenant representation. ACOF’s work has been recognized nationally, regionally, and locally for innovation, design, and sustainability.
The organization also has an outstanding track record for programmatic and financial stability. Since its inception, ACOF has secured over $905 million in financing for its affordable housing developments. Additionally, ACOF has piloted several new services programs with the support of time-limited private funding and successfully continued the programs after initial funding ended.
ORIGINAL 1988 ACOF ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
ACOF supports people experiencing homelessness and mental illness through three key strategies:
- Developing and maintaining a growing portfolio of high-quality rental properties, currently including five buildings under construction and eight in pre-development.
- Facilitating long-term success by providing on-site support, including services, programs, and case management.
- Ensuring affordability, so no more than 30% of tenants’ income goes toward rent, allowing them to focus on their mental and physical health without the burden of market rent.
ACOF’s commitment to advocacy and problem-solving has made it a model for others in the field, continuously working towards ending homelessness and fostering supportive communities.
