CRANKSTART AWARDS $7 MILLION GRANT TO FREEDOM WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Summary
A Legacy of Empowerment Freedom West Homes Corporation, one of the largest nonprofit housing cooperatives in the western United States, was founded in the 1970s to provide affordable homeownership, and multi-generational wealth creation opportunities to low- and moderate-income families in San Franciscos Fillmore/Western Addition neighborhood. To ensure long-term economic self-sustainability, Freedom West established FWCDC as its 501(c)(3) arm, dedicated to developing sustainable revenue streams that enable the nonprofit housing cooperative to become fully self-reliant and ultimately to become capable of providing financial assistance to residents and small business owners in the surrounding Fillmore/Western Addition community. "Its not just about preserving affordable housing for Freedom West residentsits also about creating a self-sustaining, thriving neighborhood that can be a beacon of hope and catalyst for the revitalization of the greater Fillmore/Western Addition community." FWCDC plans to further document and refine the Freedom West 2.0 framework to support other communities seeking sustainable economic independence. From this vision, he established Freedom West with the objective of creating a safe, affordable community, protecting cultural diversity, and providing a source of social and economic empowerment through co-operative ownership.