For four decades, Sacramento Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (SNHS) has transformed lives in the Sacramento region by working tirelessly to provide direct pathways to affordable housing, education and capital. SNHS has been an invaluable community treasure since its incorporation in 1986.

“People are community,” says Lauretta Casimir-Mahoney, CEO and President. “They should not only survive but thrive through accessible resources, viable housing and a sense of rooted belonging.”

“People are community. They should not only survive but thrive through accessible resources, viable housing and a sense of rooted belonging.” -Lauretta Casimir-Mahoney, CEO and President

Casimir-Mahoney’s organizational methodology uses the concept of a four-legged stool. One leg focuses on education and financial literacy, another on funding accessible loan products and the last two legs focus on affordable housing inventory and legacy building through estate planning and wealth preservation.

“I see the bedrock of this stool as the seat,” she says. “The seat exemplifies our foundational work in communities to establish lasting trust.”

“A misconception about nonprofit work is that it is feast or famine,” she continues. “It is instead about setting the table and feasting. The development of ACCESS, our new, one-stop business resource center, is my way of ensuring we are creating a seat for entrepreneurs and small businesses doing the work to succeed and communities to flourish. We invite everyone to pull up a chair at ACCESS.”

ACCESS is about inspiration and collaboration where “solopreneurs” can tap into five offices, 100 P.O. boxes, three conference rooms and two event spaces — all available at optimum rental rates.

“Most people don’t know we are a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI),” says Casimir-Mahoney. “We want to expand on this and how we utilize CDFI funds to support homeownership and entrepreneurs.”

SNHS’ HUD-certified Counseling Squad offers free, one-on-one counseling in the areas of rental preparedness/eviction, homebuying and post-purchase support, foreclosure mitigation, home equity conversion mortgage analysis and, most recently, electric vehicle financing.

“Starting this month, we will take our counseling services mobile, bringing the best of what we do directly to those who need us most,” says Casimir-Mahoney.

On Saturday, June 7 at 10 a.m., the organization’s 2nd annual family-friendly Housing Education & Resource Fair, hosted at its Alhambra Boulevard headquarters, will provide homeowners, renters and community members with free access to insurance experts, realtors, lenders and local artisans.