What Is the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing?
The Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing (SCANPH) is a membership association founded in 1985 that supports and advocates for organizations dedicated to developing and sustainably operating affordable housing across Southern California. SCANPH serves the five-county region including Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, representing over 1,500 organizational members and more than 4,000 affiliated constituents engaged in affordable housing development, advocacy, policy, and resident services.
📌 Quick Answer
SCANPH is Southern California’s premier affordable housing organization, providing policy advocacy, member services, the Residents United Network (RUN) organizing program, professional training through the California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute, annual conferences, and coalition building to secure resources and advance policies that facilitate affordable housing development across the region’s five counties.
🏠 SCANPH At a Glance
📅 Founded: 1985
📍 Headquarters: 340 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
📞 Phone: (213) 480-1249
🌐 Website: scanph.org
👥 Members: 1,500+ organizations, 4,000+ constituents
🗺️ Service Area: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino counties
📊 Annual Conference: 1,200+ attendees
🎯 Focus: Affordable housing development, policy & resident organizing
⚖️ Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing. For official information, membership inquiries, or program details, please visit scanph.org or contact SCANPH directly.
1. Understanding SCANPH’s Mission and History
Founded in 1985, the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing emerged during a critical period when nonprofit affordable housing developers needed a unified voice and coordinated advocacy infrastructure. For nearly four decades, SCANPH has served as the collective voice of affordable housing for Southern California, bringing together nonprofit developers, advocates, policymakers, funders, and residents to advance housing justice across the region’s most populous counties.
SCANPH’s mission is to facilitate the development of affordable homes across Southern California by advancing effective public policies, sustainable financial resources, and equitable programmatic initiatives. The organization is uniquely positioned to identify, prioritize, strategize, and lead policy efforts designed to create an environment conducive to affordable housing development. SCANPH measures its success by its ability to serve low-income residents of the region through securing critical public subsidy funds for new affordable home development and by making its members more effective developers amidst funding and resource challenges.
💡 Core Mission Components
Policy Development and Advocacy: SCANPH develops and advances policies that remove barriers to affordable housing development, secure sustainable funding sources, and protect tenants from displacement. The organization works at city, county, state, and federal levels to shape legislation and regulations that enable nonprofit developers to create more affordable homes.
Member Capacity Building: Through training programs, technical assistance, networking opportunities, and resource sharing, SCANPH increases the capacity and expertise of member organizations to successfully develop, finance, and operate affordable housing properties in an increasingly complex regulatory and financial environment.
Public Education and Engagement: SCANPH educates policymakers, community stakeholders, and the general public about affordable housing needs, solutions, and the critical role that nonprofit housing organizations play in addressing the region’s housing crisis and supporting community stability.
The Southern California region that SCANPH serves represents the largest population base in California and includes the greatest concentration of poverty and housing need in the state. The five-county service area encompasses Los Angeles County with over 10 million residents, Orange County with more than 3 million residents, and the Inland Empire counties of Riverside and San Bernardino with combined populations exceeding 4.5 million, plus Ventura County with nearly 850,000 residents. This vast geographic and demographic scope requires regional coordination alongside locally-tailored strategies that respect each county’s unique housing markets, political dynamics, and community needs.
SCANPH’s organizational structure reflects its commitment to inclusive leadership and diverse stakeholder engagement. The organization’s membership includes nonprofit housing developers who comprise the core constituency, for-profit developers committed to mission-aligned work, property management companies specializing in affordable housing operations, resident services providers, financial institutions and lenders, government agencies and housing authorities, consultants and technical service providers, and advocacy organizations working on housing justice issues. This broad membership base creates a comprehensive ecosystem of affordable housing stakeholders who can coordinate strategies and leverage complementary expertise.
🌟 SCANPH’s Impact Over Nearly Four Decades
Since 1985, SCANPH members have produced tens of thousands of apartments, condominiums, and houses throughout Southern California. These developments provide housing and services to people who have experienced homelessness, individuals with disabilities, seniors, veterans, the working poor, single-parent households, immigrants, low-income families, and low-income first-time homebuyers—among other economically disadvantaged populations.
The organization has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in new resources for affordable housing through successful advocacy campaigns, passed landmark local and state policies that facilitate housing production and tenant protections, and built a powerful coalition of over 1,500 organizational members and 4,000 affiliated constituents working toward shared housing justice goals.
SCANPH operates with the recognition that Southern California’s affordable housing crisis is rooted in decades of underinvestment in affordable housing production, exclusionary zoning and land use policies that limit housing supply, displacement pressures driven by gentrification and market-rate development, stagnant wages that have not kept pace with housing cost increases, and systemic inequities that disproportionately impact communities of color. The organization’s work addresses these structural challenges through comprehensive strategies that combine policy advocacy, resource mobilization, organizational capacity building, and grassroots organizing.
2. Policy Advocacy and Legislative Impact
SCANPH’s policy advocacy work represents the organization’s most visible and impactful area of activity, directly influencing the creation of funding sources, removal of regulatory barriers, and establishment of tenant protections across Southern California. The organization engages in advocacy at multiple levels including city councils and planning commissions, county boards of supervisors, regional planning agencies, the California State Legislature and administration, and federal housing agencies and congressional delegations. This multi-level approach ensures that SCANPH can advance solutions appropriate to each policy arena while maintaining strategic coherence across campaigns.
At the local level, SCANPH works extensively with cities and counties to advance inclusionary housing policies that require or incentivize affordable housing in new developments, streamlined approval processes for 100% affordable projects, local funding mechanisms including parcel taxes, documentary transfer taxes, and general fund allocations, anti-displacement policies including just cause eviction protections and tenant harassment ordinances, and zoning reforms that allow higher density and reduce parking requirements to lower development costs. SCANPH provides technical expertise to local governments on policy design, financial feasibility analysis, and implementation best practices drawn from successful examples across the region.
⚖️ Landmark Local Policy Victories
Measure ULA – Los Angeles: SCANPH worked tirelessly during the November 2022 election to successfully pass Measure ULA (United to House LA) on the Los Angeles ballot, securing permanent and substantial funding for affordable housing and tenant protections. This landmark ballot measure generates more than $900 million annually through a transfer tax on high-value real estate transactions, creating the largest new local funding source for affordable housing in the nation.
Measure A – Los Angeles County: SCANPH’s nonpartisan voter outreach and organizing helped secure passage of Measure A in 2024, which increases funding for housing and homelessness services in Los Angeles County. This measure builds on previous housing bond measures that SCANPH supported and demonstrates sustained public support for investing in affordable housing solutions.
Inclusionary Housing Policies: SCANPH has supported the adoption of strong inclusionary housing ordinances in numerous cities across the region, requiring market-rate developers to include affordable units in new projects or contribute to affordable housing funds. These policies have generated thousands of affordable homes and hundreds of millions in development fees.
State-level advocacy focuses on securing appropriations for affordable housing production and preservation programs including the Multifamily Housing Program, Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, and Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program, advancing legislation that removes regulatory barriers and streamlines affordable housing approvals, protecting and expanding Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocations, supporting tenant protection bills including rent caps, just cause eviction requirements, and anti-harassment measures, and securing tax credit enhancements and new financing tools that increase project feasibility. SCANPH works closely with Housing California and other statewide partners to coordinate advocacy campaigns and present unified positions on priority legislation.
The organization’s policy team monitors hundreds of bills each legislative session, analyzes their potential impacts on affordable housing development and residents, mobilizes member letters and testimony in support of priority bills, coordinates lobby days where members meet directly with legislators and staff, and provides ongoing education to elected officials about affordable housing financing, development processes, and community benefits. SCANPH’s reputation for providing accurate information and pragmatic policy analysis has established the organization as a trusted resource for policymakers seeking to understand housing issues.
🤝 Statewide Coalition Partnerships
SCANPH collaborates extensively with statewide housing organizations including California Housing Partnership, which provides critical data and research on housing needs and preservation opportunities, the California Coalition for Rural Housing, coordinating on issues affecting both urban and rural communities, and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, presenting united regional perspectives on statewide policies.
These partnerships amplify advocacy impact by pooling resources, coordinating messaging, sharing research and policy analysis, and demonstrating that affordable housing priorities have support across diverse regions and communities throughout California. Coalition work also allows organizations to specialize in different policy areas while ensuring comprehensive coverage of housing issues.
Beyond legislative advocacy, SCANPH engages in regulatory advocacy by submitting comments on proposed regulations from state agencies including the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC), the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC). These regulatory proceedings determine how housing programs are implemented, how funding is allocated, and what requirements developers must meet. SCANPH’s detailed regulatory comments ensure that implementation rules support effective affordable housing development and reflect input from practitioners with on-the-ground experience.
3. Residents United Network (RUN)
The Residents United Network (RUN) represents one of SCANPH’s most innovative and transformative programs, building political power and leadership capacity among affordable housing residents. Launched as an organizing effort to empower low-income residents to participate in the political process through civic engagement, RUN has become a first-of-its-kind statewide resident base of power in California. The Los Angeles chapter, RUN-LA, is hosted by SCANPH and mobilizes residents of low-income housing through leadership development, voter education, and advocacy campaigns.
RUN’s mission centers on the principle that people who live in or are eligible for affordable housing deserve meaningful voice and power in decisions that affect their lives and communities. Too often, affordable housing policy is developed without substantive input from residents who have lived experience with housing insecurity and who understand firsthand the barriers to accessing and maintaining stable housing. RUN disrupts this pattern by organizing residents as advocates, spokespeople, and leaders who can influence policy decisions, hold elected officials accountable, and shape public narratives about affordable housing.
👥 RUN Program Components
Leadership Development: RUN provides training and skill-building for resident leaders including public speaking, media engagement, advocacy strategy, community organizing, understanding policy and legislation, and navigating government processes. These trainings equip residents to serve as effective advocates and spokespeople for affordable housing.
Voter Engagement and Education: RUN conducts nonpartisan voter registration drives, voter education forums, candidate questionnaires and forums, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and ballot measure education to increase political participation among affordable housing residents. This work recognizes that residents’ votes represent political power that can influence election outcomes and policy priorities.
Advocacy Campaigns: RUN members participate in advocacy campaigns supporting affordable housing funding measures, testifying at city council and board of supervisors meetings, lobbying legislators on state housing bills, participating in rallies and public actions, and sharing personal stories that humanize housing policy debates and demonstrate real-world impacts.
Community Building: Beyond policy advocacy, RUN creates spaces for residents to connect, share experiences, provide mutual support, and build community across housing developments and geographic areas. These connections strengthen social capital and create networks of solidarity among residents facing common challenges.
RUN’s organizing model emphasizes building authentic relationships with residents, meeting people where they are, respecting residents’ expertise about their own lives and needs, providing resources and support that address immediate concerns while building toward long-term power, and centering racial and economic justice in all campaigns and activities. This approach recognizes that effective organizing requires trust-building, sustained engagement, and demonstrated commitment to residents’ priorities beyond narrow policy objectives.
The network has achieved significant organizing victories including mobilizing thousands of affordable housing residents to vote in local, state, and federal elections, training hundreds of resident leaders who serve as advocates and spokespeople, securing passage of local ballot measures including Measure ULA and Measure A through extensive resident outreach and organizing, building coalitions between affordable housing residents and other community organizations including tenant rights groups, labor unions, and environmental justice organizations, and elevating resident voices in media coverage and policy debates, shifting public narratives about who lives in affordable housing and what residents contribute to their communities.
🏆 National Recognition for RUN
In 2025, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) recognized SCANPH as an Organizing Awards nominee for its groundbreaking work with RUN. This national recognition validates RUN’s innovative approach to resident organizing and its demonstrated impact in building resident power and advancing housing justice.
RUN has also been selected as a pilot community partner in the Our Homes, Our Votes campaign, a national initiative to increase civic engagement among low-income renters. As a pilot community partner, SCANPH empowers current RUN leaders to engage and educate other low-income residents during election cycles through voter registration, education forums, and get-out-the-vote activities. This national partnership provides additional resources and visibility for RUN’s local organizing work.
RUN’s organizing extends beyond electoral work to include policy advocacy and community education. Resident leaders regularly testify before government bodies, participate in media interviews, write op-eds and letters to the editor, lead community education workshops, and represent affordable housing communities in coalition spaces. This multi-faceted engagement ensures that resident voices are heard across multiple arenas where housing decisions are made and public opinion is shaped.
The network also addresses internal capacity within affordable housing organizations by advocating for resident services staffing and resources, promoting resident council development and support, encouraging resident participation in property management advisory committees, and working to ensure that affordable housing developments create authentic opportunities for resident leadership and community building. RUN recognizes that building resident power requires not just external advocacy but also strengthening resident voice within the affordable housing system itself.
Affordable housing residents interested in getting involved with RUN can contact SCANPH or attend RUN meetings and events listed on SCANPH’s website and calendar. The network welcomes residents from across the five-county region and provides support for residents who want to become more engaged in advocacy but may face barriers including childcare needs, transportation limitations, work schedules, or lack of previous organizing experience. RUN’s approach centers accessibility and works to remove barriers that prevent residents from participating fully in civic and political life.
4. SCANPH Membership Benefits and Structure
SCANPH membership provides affordable housing organizations and professionals with access to a comprehensive network of resources, advocacy platforms, professional development opportunities, and collaborative partnerships. With over 1,500 organizational members and more than 4,000 affiliated constituents, SCANPH has built Southern California’s most extensive affordable housing community, connecting developers, advocates, service providers, funders, government agencies, and mission-aligned businesses in service of shared goals.
Nonprofit housing developers comprise the core of SCANPH’s membership, and while the organization’s emphasis is on strengthening nonprofit developers, SCANPH welcomes all members who share its mission of expanding affordable housing across Southern California. Membership categories include nonprofit housing development organizations, property management companies specializing in affordable housing, resident services providers and supportive housing agencies, for-profit developers with mission-aligned affordable housing portfolios, financial institutions including banks, credit unions, and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), consultants and service providers including architects, attorneys, accountants, and construction firms, government agencies including housing authorities, city housing departments, and redevelopment agencies, and advocacy organizations working on housing justice, tenant rights, and community development issues.
🎁 Exclusive Membership Benefits
Special Member-Only Event Discounts: Members receive significant discounts on SCANPH’s annual conference, workshops, training programs, and networking events. These savings often exceed annual membership dues, making membership a cost-effective investment in professional development and organizational capacity building.
Discounted Conference Exhibitor Pricing: Organizations that want to exhibit at SCANPH’s annual conference receive substantial discounts on booth fees, providing cost-effective marketing and relationship-building opportunities with over 1,200 conference attendees.
Early Notice of Upcoming Events: Members receive advance notification of SCANPH events, training programs, funding opportunities, and policy updates, allowing for better planning and ensuring members don’t miss important opportunities.
Professional Development Opportunities: Members gain access to the California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute trainings, specialized workshops, webinars on emerging issues, technical assistance, and peer learning opportunities that build organizational and individual capacity.
Access to Industry Resources and Member Communications: SCANPH provides members with policy updates and analysis, template documents and best practices, research and data on housing needs and trends, funding opportunity alerts, and regular communications that keep members informed about the rapidly evolving affordable housing landscape.
Build Your Network: Members connect with other SCANPH members at networking events including regional mixers, working group meetings, conference activities, and online member directories and forums that facilitate partnership development and knowledge sharing.
Membership levels are determined by an organization’s operating budget, inclusive of corporate costs, real estate development, asset management, property management, and all other affiliated activities. This sliding scale approach ensures that membership is accessible to organizations of all sizes, from grassroots community groups to large regional developers. Smaller organizations pay lower dues while still receiving full membership benefits, recognizing that broad participation strengthens the affordable housing ecosystem and ensures diverse voices inform SCANPH’s priorities.
The membership structure creates a community where organizations can collaborate rather than compete, share lessons learned and innovative approaches, coordinate on advocacy campaigns and funding applications, refer partnership opportunities and subcontracting arrangements, and collectively problem-solve challenges facing the affordable housing field. SCANPH facilitates these connections through structured networking events, topical working groups, online member forums, and informal relationship-building opportunities at conferences and workshops.
📊 Why Organizations Join SCANPH
“SCANPH is the glue that binds the affordable housing community together in Southern California,” notes one member organization. “Through their outreach and events, we share ideas, experiences, and best practices that make us all more effective developers and advocates.”
Members cite numerous benefits including access to policy advocacy platforms that amplify organizational voices, networking opportunities that lead to partnership development and business relationships, professional development that improves staff skills and organizational performance, early awareness of funding opportunities and policy changes, collective purchasing power and resource sharing that reduces costs, and participation in a mission-driven community that provides moral support and shared purpose in challenging work.
For many organizations, SCANPH membership represents not just transactional benefits but also an investment in the broader affordable housing movement and a commitment to collective action that can achieve systemic change beyond what any single organization can accomplish alone.
SCANPH’s membership is governed by a Board of Directors elected by members, ensuring that organizational priorities and strategies reflect member needs and perspectives. The Board includes representatives from diverse organization types, geographic areas across the five-county region, and roles within the affordable housing field. This inclusive governance structure ensures that SCANPH’s work serves the full breadth of the affordable housing community.
Organizations interested in joining SCANPH can visit the membership section of the website at scanph.org or contact SCANPH directly at (213) 480-1249 or info@scanph.org. The membership team can provide information about appropriate membership categories, dues structures, benefits, and enrollment processes. SCANPH also offers trial memberships and participation opportunities for organizations exploring whether membership aligns with their priorities and resources.
5. California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute
The California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute (CALI) represents SCANPH’s flagship professional development program, providing comprehensive training on the fundamentals of affordable housing development and finance. Launched to address the need for accessible, high-quality education on affordable housing basics, CALI has trained hundreds of professionals working in nonprofit housing development, property management, resident services, government agencies, and mission-aligned businesses throughout Southern California and beyond.
CALI operates as an intensive training series covering the complete lifecycle of affordable housing development from concept to long-term operations. The curriculum is designed for both newcomers to the affordable housing field and experienced professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of areas outside their core expertise. Training content is developed and delivered by leading practitioners, technical experts, lenders, and policy specialists who bring real-world experience and current knowledge to their teaching.
📚 CALI Curriculum Topics
Affordable Housing Finance 101: Comprehensive overview of affordable housing financing including funding sources (tax credits, bonds, grants, loans), layered financing structures, development pro formas, operating budgets, asset management, and long-term financial sustainability. This foundational module provides essential knowledge for anyone working in affordable housing development or finance.
Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and TCAC: Detailed training on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program including federal and state tax credit basics, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC) regulations and scoring systems, syndication processes, investor requirements, compliance obligations, and strategies for maximizing project competitiveness in tax credit applications.
Project Feasibility Analysis: Training on evaluating whether potential projects are financially viable including site analysis, market studies, development budgets, operating budgets, sensitivity analysis, and decision-making frameworks for proceeding with projects or identifying needed changes to achieve feasibility.
Entitlements and Land Use: Overview of local planning and approval processes including zoning regulations, environmental review, community engagement, design review, and strategies for navigating entitlement processes successfully while building community support for affordable housing projects.
Additional Topics: CALI also covers property acquisition strategies, construction management, permanent loan financing, property operations and asset management, resident services and supportive housing, fair housing compliance, and policy advocacy strategies. This comprehensive curriculum ensures that participants gain a holistic understanding of affordable housing development and operations.
CALI trainings are offered in multiple formats to maximize accessibility including intensive multi-day institutes held several times per year, monthly webinar series that allow professionals to participate without travel, on-demand recorded sessions that can be accessed on flexible schedules, and customized in-house training delivered to specific organizations or agencies. This multi-format approach ensures that professionals can access training regardless of their location, schedule constraints, or organizational resources for travel and extended time away from work.
The Leadership Institute serves multiple important functions beyond individual skill-building. CALI creates a common knowledge base and shared language across the affordable housing field, facilitating more effective communication and collaboration among professionals from different organizations and roles. The training also provides networking opportunities where participants build relationships that often lead to future partnerships, job referrals, and peer support networks that extend throughout careers. For many participants, CALI connections represent their introduction to the broader affordable housing community in Southern California.
👨🎓 Who Benefits from CALI Training
Nonprofit Development Staff: New staff at affordable housing development organizations gain essential knowledge needed to contribute effectively to project teams, understand development processes, and advance in their careers. CALI provides structured education that complements on-the-job learning and accelerates professional development.
Property Management Professionals: Property managers and asset managers deepen their understanding of affordable housing financing and regulations, enabling them to better manage compliance obligations, understand development decisions, and contribute to long-term asset strategy.
Government Agency Staff: Staff at housing authorities, city housing departments, and county agencies gain insights into developer perspectives, financing challenges, and effective program design that can inform their work administering housing programs and evaluating funding applications.
Service Providers and Consultants: Architects, attorneys, accountants, lenders, and other service providers enhance their understanding of the affordable housing context in which they work, enabling them to provide more effective and informed services to nonprofit developer clients.
CALI has established itself as the premier affordable housing training program in Southern California, with consistently positive participant evaluations and strong demand that has led to expanded offerings over time. Many CALI graduates report that the training was transformative for their careers, providing knowledge and confidence that enabled them to take on greater responsibilities, change career paths into affordable housing, or start new affordable housing organizations. The program has contributed significantly to building the pipeline of skilled professionals needed to expand affordable housing production across the region.
SCANPH continually updates CALI curriculum to reflect changes in affordable housing policy, financing tools, regulatory requirements, and best practices. Training content incorporates recent legislation, new funding programs, emerging development models, and lessons learned from recent projects. This commitment to current and relevant content ensures that CALI remains valuable for both newcomers and experienced professionals seeking to stay current with a rapidly evolving field.
Information about upcoming CALI sessions, registration, fees, and curriculum details is available on SCANPH’s website. SCANPH members receive discounted tuition, and financial assistance may be available for participants facing affordability barriers. Organizations interested in hosting customized CALI training for their staff can contact SCANPH to discuss tailored training options that address specific organizational learning needs.
6. Professional Training and Workshops
Beyond the California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute, SCANPH offers a robust schedule of workshops, forums, webinars, and specialized training programs throughout the year. These educational offerings address timely topics, emerging issues, advanced technical subjects, and specific professional development needs identified by members and the broader affordable housing community. SCANPH’s year-round programming ensures that affordable housing professionals have continuous access to learning opportunities that keep pace with the rapidly changing policy, regulatory, and financing landscape.
Workshop topics span the full spectrum of affordable housing development, operations, and advocacy including advanced tax credit syndication strategies, permanent loan financing and bond issuance, environmental sustainability and green building, fair housing compliance and affirmative marketing, resident services best practices and trauma-informed care, community engagement and anti-displacement strategies, property management innovations and technology, construction management and prevailing wage compliance, policy updates and regulatory changes, and advocacy skills and campaign strategy. These specialized workshops provide deep-dive learning on topics of current interest and importance to the field.
🎯 Training Program Features
Expert Instructors: SCANPH workshops feature instructors who are recognized experts and leading practitioners in their fields. Instructors include senior staff from successful nonprofit developers, lenders and investors, government agency officials, attorneys and consultants, and policy experts. This practitioner-led approach ensures that training content reflects real-world experience and current best practices.
Interactive and Applied Learning: Workshops emphasize interactive learning through case studies, group exercises, Q&A discussions, and practical examples. Participants are encouraged to bring their own questions and challenges, and instructors tailor content to address participant interests and needs within each session.
Networking Opportunities: Workshops create structured and informal networking opportunities where participants connect with peers facing similar challenges, build relationships with potential partners and collaborators, and expand their professional networks within the affordable housing field.
Continuing Education Credits: Many SCANPH workshops offer continuing education credits for professionals maintaining certifications in property management, accounting, legal practice, and other fields. This credential recognition adds value for participants with professional licensing requirements.
SCANPH’s training programs serve multiple strategic purposes beyond individual professional development. The programs increase member capacity and expertise, enabling organizations to successfully navigate complex development processes and compliance requirements. Training also creates forums for sharing innovations and best practices across organizations, accelerating the diffusion of successful approaches throughout the region. Additionally, workshops provide space for collaborative problem-solving where practitioners can discuss shared challenges and develop collective solutions.
The Emerging Leaders of Affordable Housing (ELA) program specifically targets professionals early in their affordable housing careers, providing tailored programming that addresses the needs of newer practitioners. ELA includes mentorship opportunities where emerging leaders are paired with experienced professionals, networking events designed for relationship-building among early-career professionals, professional development workshops on career advancement strategies, and leadership opportunities within SCANPH’s organizational structure including committee participation and event planning. ELA creates pathways for newer professionals to build careers in affordable housing and develop the networks and skills needed for long-term success.
📅 Training Delivery Formats
Live Webinars: SCANPH offers regular webinar series on timely topics, allowing professionals throughout the five-county region and beyond to participate without travel. Webinars typically run 60-90 minutes and include presentation time plus extensive Q&A, with recordings made available to registrants who cannot attend live sessions.
In-Person Workshops: Half-day and full-day in-person workshops provide deeper exploration of topics and enhanced networking opportunities. In-person formats work particularly well for hands-on exercises, small group discussions, and relationship-building among participants.
Hybrid Events: Some workshops offer hybrid attendance options, with both in-person and virtual participation. This approach maximizes accessibility while maintaining the benefits of in-person connection for those who can attend onsite.
On-Demand Learning: Selected workshops are recorded and made available on-demand for SCANPH members, allowing professionals to access content on their own schedules. This library of recorded content serves as an ongoing resource for organizations.
SCANPH also provides customized training services for organizations that want tailored professional development for their staff teams. Customized training can address specific organizational needs, incorporate organization-specific examples and case studies, be delivered at the organization’s offices on convenient dates, and target the particular learning objectives identified by organizational leadership. Many larger nonprofit developers and housing authorities utilize customized SCANPH training to onboard new staff, update teams on policy changes, or build capacity in specific technical areas.
The organization partners with other training providers and technical assistance organizations to ensure comprehensive coverage of learning needs. Partnerships include collaboration with the California Housing Partnership on financing and data analysis workshops, coordination with LISC’s Housing Development Training Institute (HDTI) on development fundamentals, partnership with legal services organizations on fair housing and tenant rights training, and collaboration with environmental organizations on green building and sustainability topics. These partnerships leverage complementary expertise and avoid duplication of training offerings.
SCANPH’s training calendar is published on the organization’s website and distributed through member communications. Members receive priority notification of upcoming training and discounted registration fees. Organizations can also subscribe to SCANPH’s training announcements to receive alerts about new workshop offerings. SCANPH welcomes suggestions for training topics from members and the broader community, using member input to guide training program development and ensure that offerings address current priorities and emerging needs.
7. Annual Conference and Events
SCANPH’s Annual Conference represents the premier gathering of affordable housing professionals, policymakers, advocates, and stakeholders in Southern California. The conference attracts over 1,200 participants annually, making it the region’s largest affordable housing convening and a can’t-miss event for anyone working in or concerned about housing justice. The 38th Annual SCANPH Conference is scheduled for October 7-8, 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, bringing together the full affordable housing ecosystem for two days of learning, networking, and movement-building.
The conference program features dozens of workshops and panel discussions covering cutting-edge topics including innovative financing structures and new funding sources, development case studies and lessons learned, property management and asset management strategies, resident services and supportive housing models, policy updates and legislative priorities, racial equity and housing justice frameworks, environmental sustainability and climate resilience, fair housing and tenant rights, technology and innovation in affordable housing, and partnerships and cross-sector collaboration. Workshop tracks are designed to serve diverse attendee interests and career stages, from introductory sessions for newcomers to advanced technical deep-dives for experienced practitioners.
🎤 Conference Highlights
Keynote Speakers: The conference features prominent keynote speakers including national housing policy leaders, California elected officials and agency directors, community organizers and resident leaders, and innovators bringing new approaches to affordable housing challenges. Keynote sessions inspire attendees and provide big-picture context for understanding current opportunities and challenges.
Extensive Exhibitor Hall: Over 100 exhibitors participate in the SCANPH conference exhibitor hall, connecting affordable housing organizations with service providers, consultants, suppliers, technology vendors, financial institutions, and mission-aligned businesses. The exhibitor hall facilitates relationship development and allows attendees to learn about products, services, and resources that can support their work.
Networking Events and Receptions: The conference includes multiple networking receptions, awards ceremonies, affinity group gatherings, and social events that allow participants to connect with colleagues, celebrate achievements, and build relationships in more relaxed settings beyond the formal workshop sessions.
Awards and Recognition: SCANPH’s annual awards program recognizes outstanding affordable housing developments, innovative programs, effective advocacy campaigns, and individual leaders who have made exceptional contributions to affordable housing in Southern California. Awards categories celebrate excellence across all aspects of the affordable housing field.
The conference serves critical functions beyond professional education. It creates a visible demonstration of the scale and power of the affordable housing movement in Southern California, bringing together 1,200+ participants in one space to showcase the depth of commitment and expertise dedicated to housing justice. The conference also provides opportunities for movement-building and coalition development, with attendees including not just affordable housing professionals but also labor unions, environmental organizations, faith communities, tenant advocacy groups, and other allied movements working on interconnected justice issues.
Conference timing is often strategically coordinated with policy moments including local election cycles, state legislative sessions, or funding application deadlines. This strategic timing allows the conference to serve as a platform for advocacy mobilization, with attendees participating in coordinated actions including lobby visits to elected officials, campaign volunteer recruitment, ballot measure education and outreach, and media engagement that leverages the conference’s high visibility and concentrated gathering of housing advocates.
📅 Year-Round SCANPH Events
Beyond the annual conference, SCANPH hosts numerous events throughout the year including quarterly membership meetings and networking mixers, policy briefings and legislative updates, Emerging Leaders of Affordable Housing (ELA) happy hours and networking events, specialized workshops and training sessions, RUN-LA resident gatherings and organizing meetings, and celebration events recognizing organizational and community milestones. This robust year-round event calendar maintains community engagement and provides regular touchpoints for connection and learning.
SCANPH’s events calendar is published on the organization’s website at scanph.org and distributed through member communications and social media. Members receive early notification of upcoming events and discounted registration when applicable. Events range from small intimate gatherings to large regional convenings, providing diverse opportunities for engagement appropriate to different interests and schedules.
Conference registration typically opens several months in advance, with early bird pricing rewarding advance planning. SCANPH members receive substantial discounts on conference registration fees, often making membership cost-effective for organizations sending multiple staff to the conference. Group rates are available for organizations registering multiple attendees, and scholarship support may be available for individuals and organizations facing financial barriers to conference participation.
SCANPH actively works to make the conference accessible and inclusive through multilingual interpretation services for workshop sessions, accommodation for attendees with disabilities, nursing rooms and family-friendly facilities, scholarship programs for residents and grassroots organizations, and diverse representation among speakers, panelists, and workshop facilitators. The organization is committed to creating conference spaces where all participants feel welcome and can engage fully regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, language, disability status, or other aspects of identity.
Organizations interested in exhibiting at the conference can access exhibitor information and applications through SCANPH’s website. Conference sponsors receive visibility and recognition opportunities including logo placement, speaking opportunities, event sponsorship, and networking access. Sponsorship at various levels allows businesses and organizations to demonstrate commitment to affordable housing while building relationships with potential clients, partners, and collaborators throughout Southern California’s affordable housing community.
8. Major Policy Victories and Impact
Over nearly four decades, SCANPH has compiled an impressive record of policy victories that have fundamentally shaped the affordable housing landscape in Southern California. These victories represent not just individual campaign successes but cumulative impact that has generated billions of dollars in new affordable housing funding, protected tens of thousands of tenants from displacement, streamlined development approval processes, and built political will for ongoing investment in affordable housing solutions. SCANPH’s policy successes demonstrate the power of sustained advocacy, strategic coalition building, and effective organizing.
The organization’s most significant funding victory came with the passage of Measure ULA (United to House LA) in November 2022. This landmark Los Angeles ballot measure generates more than $900 million annually for affordable housing and tenant protections through a transfer tax on real estate transactions exceeding $5 million. Measure ULA represents the largest new local funding source for affordable housing in the United States and will fund affordable housing production and preservation, tenant legal assistance and eviction prevention, and supportive services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness for decades to come. SCANPH worked tirelessly on the ULA campaign, providing strategic guidance, mobilizing member organizations, conducting resident outreach through RUN, and building the broad coalition necessary to pass this transformative measure.
🏆 Additional Major Policy Wins
Los Angeles County Measure A (2024): SCANPH’s organizing efforts, including extensive RUN-LA voter outreach, helped secure passage of Measure A, which increases funding for housing and homelessness services throughout Los Angeles County. This measure builds on previous housing bond measures and demonstrates sustained voter support for affordable housing investment.
Hundreds of Millions in State Funding: SCANPH’s tireless state advocacy work has successfully secured hundreds of millions of dollars in new resources from the California state budget including appropriations for the Multifamily Housing Program, Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, supportive housing initiatives, and homelessness prevention programs. These state investments provide critical gap financing that makes affordable housing projects feasible throughout the region.
Local Inclusionary Housing Policies: SCANPH has supported the adoption of strong inclusionary housing ordinances in dozens of cities across the five-county region, requiring market-rate developers to include affordable units or contribute to affordable housing funds. These policies have generated thousands of affordable homes and hundreds of millions in development impact fees.
Streamlined Approval Processes: Through advocacy at state and local levels, SCANPH has advanced policies that streamline approval processes for 100% affordable housing projects, reducing development timelines and costs. These policy changes make it easier and more cost-effective for nonprofit developers to create affordable homes.
Beyond funding victories, SCANPH has achieved significant tenant protection policy wins including just cause eviction ordinances that prevent arbitrary evictions and protect tenant stability, rent stabilization measures that limit excessive rent increases, anti-harassment ordinances that prevent landlord harassment and wrongful evictions, tenant opportunity to purchase policies that give tenants first right to buy properties when landlords sell, and source of income discrimination protections that prevent landlords from refusing to rent to voucher holders. These tenant protection policies help preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement as neighborhoods change.
SCANPH’s policy impact extends to workforce development and economic justice issues as well. The organization has advocated successfully for project labor agreements and prevailing wage requirements that ensure affordable housing construction provides quality jobs with family-sustaining wages and benefits, local hire provisions that create pathways for community members to access construction careers, apprenticeship programs that build skilled trades workforce, and contractor diversity requirements that expand opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned businesses. These workforce policies ensure that affordable housing development contributes to broader economic justice and community wealth-building.
📊 Quantifiable Impact
SCANPH’s policy victories have generated measurable impacts across Southern California including over $1 billion annually in new affordable housing funding from Measure ULA alone, hundreds of millions more from state budget appropriations, county measures, and local funding sources, tens of thousands of affordable homes created through development, preservation, and acquisition, thousands of tenants protected from eviction and displacement through tenant protection policies, and hundreds of nonprofit organizations strengthened through training, technical assistance, and advocacy support.
SCANPH members have produced tens of thousands of apartments, condominiums, and houses throughout the five-county region, providing stable housing for people experiencing homelessness, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, working families, and other economically disadvantaged populations. This production represents tangible outcomes from the policy changes and funding resources that SCANPH’s advocacy work has secured.
The organization’s impact also includes important defensive victories preventing harmful policy changes including defeating measures that would have restricted affordable housing development, blocking attempts to eliminate or reduce affordable housing funding, resisting efforts to weaken tenant protections, and countering misinformation campaigns that stigmatize affordable housing and its residents. These defensive campaigns, while less visible than proactive policy wins, are equally essential to protecting gains and maintaining an environment where affordable housing can thrive.
SCANPH measures its success not just by individual policy victories but by broader indicators of movement strength and political change including increased public support for affordable housing investment reflected in polling and election results, growing membership and organizational capacity within the affordable housing sector, stronger coalitions bridging affordable housing with labor, environmental, and racial justice movements, elevated resident leadership and voice in policy processes, and shifting political dynamics that make affordable housing a priority issue for elected officials. These systemic changes create foundation for sustained progress on affordable housing over time.
9. Partnerships and Collaborative Networks
SCANPH’s impact is amplified through strategic partnerships with organizations across sectors, geographies, and constituencies. Recognizing that the affordable housing crisis requires coordinated responses that transcend organizational boundaries, SCANPH actively participates in coalitions and networks that advance shared priorities. These partnerships leverage complementary strengths, pool resources, coordinate strategies, and present unified positions that carry greater weight with policymakers and the public than any single organization could achieve alone.
At the statewide level, SCANPH collaborates extensively with Housing California, the statewide affordable housing coalition that brings together regional housing organizations, developers, and advocates from throughout California. This partnership ensures that Southern California priorities are integrated into statewide advocacy while allowing SCANPH members to benefit from statewide resources, research, and coordinated campaigns. SCANPH and Housing California coordinate on state legislative priorities, budget advocacy, regulatory proceedings, and the annual Homes For All conference that brings together affordable housing leaders from across California.
🤝 Key Partnership Organizations
California Housing Partnership: The California Housing Partnership provides essential research and data including the statewide Affordable Housing Needs Report, the Preservation Database tracking at-risk affordable properties, and financial analysis tools. SCANPH collaborates with CHP on policy development, data-driven advocacy, and member training programs that utilize CHP’s expertise and resources.
Regional Housing Organizations: SCANPH maintains strong relationships with the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) and the California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH), coordinating on statewide issues while respecting each region’s unique contexts and priorities. These regional partnerships ensure that affordable housing advocacy reflects diverse geographic perspectives and needs.
Local Government Partnerships: SCANPH works collaboratively with city housing departments, county development authorities, housing authorities, redevelopment agencies, and regional planning bodies throughout the five-county region. These government partnerships facilitate policy development, coordinate funding investments, and ensure that public programs effectively support nonprofit housing development.
SCANPH also builds coalitions beyond the housing sector, recognizing that housing justice intersects with numerous policy areas and that broad-based coalitions are essential for building political power. Key cross-sector partners include labor unions representing construction trades, building service workers, and public employees who see affordable housing as workforce infrastructure and economic justice issue, environmental organizations focused on smart growth, transit-oriented development, and climate resilience who recognize housing and transportation connections, civil rights organizations working on fair housing, integration, and racial justice, faith-based communities motivated by moral imperatives to address homelessness and housing need, business associations and chambers of commerce who understand affordable housing as economic development strategy, health care systems and public health departments who recognize housing as social determinant of health, and education advocates who understand connections between housing stability and student achievement.
These diverse partnerships expand the political base of support for affordable housing by demonstrating that housing is not a narrow interest group issue but rather a central concern that affects economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, public health, educational opportunity, and community well-being. When labor unions champion affordable housing as essential for their members, when environmental groups support housing near transit as a climate strategy, and when business leaders recognize workforce housing as economic competitiveness issue, the political calculus around housing decisions shifts substantially.
🌐 National and Regional Networks
SCANPH participates in national affordable housing networks including the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), Enterprise Community Partners’ network of regional housing organizations, NeighborWorks America’s network of community development organizations, and various issue-specific collaboratives focused on topics like preservation, supportive housing, and manufactured housing. These national connections provide access to research, policy models, federal advocacy coordination, and peer learning opportunities.
At the regional level, SCANPH convenes and participates in numerous working groups and coalitions including anti-displacement coalitions coordinating tenant protection advocacy, homelessness response collaboratives addressing Housing First and supportive housing, sustainable communities coalitions working on transit-oriented development and climate action, and jurisdictional coalitions bringing together stakeholders within specific counties or cities. These focused coalitions enable targeted strategies while connecting to broader regional and statewide movements.
SCANPH’s partnership approach reflects values of collaboration over competition, mutual support over organizational self-interest, and recognition that the housing crisis is too large for any single organization to solve. The organization actively shares credit for victories, coordinates rather than duplicates efforts, provides resources and support to partner organizations, and works to build an affordable housing ecosystem that is collectively stronger than the sum of its parts. This collaborative culture extends to member organizations as well, with SCANPH facilitating partnerships between developers, service providers, funders, and other stakeholders that result in more comprehensive and effective housing solutions.
Through its partnerships, SCANPH connects local Southern California housing work to state, national, and even international movements for housing justice. This broader connectivity provides inspiration, learning opportunities, resources, and solidarity that strengthen local efforts. SCANPH members benefit from best practices developed in other regions, policy models that can be adapted to Southern California contexts, and the sense of belonging to a larger movement working toward housing justice around the world.
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
❓ What geographic area does SCANPH serve?
SCANPH serves the five-county Southern California region including Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Together, these counties represent the largest population base in California and the greatest concentration of poverty and housing need in the state. While SCANPH’s primary focus is regional, the organization also engages in statewide policy advocacy through partnerships with Housing California and other statewide organizations, recognizing that many housing solutions require state-level action and funding.
❓ How can individuals support SCANPH’s work?
Individuals can support SCANPH through several pathways including joining as individual members if they work in affordable housing or related fields, making tax-deductible donations to support SCANPH’s advocacy and capacity-building work, volunteering for campaigns and organizing efforts including RUN-LA activities, attending SCANPH events, conferences, and training programs, sharing SCANPH’s policy updates and advocacy alerts with their networks, and engaging with elected officials on affordable housing priorities identified by SCANPH. Visit scanph.org or contact (213) 480-1249 to learn about ways to get involved.
❓ What types of organizations should join SCANPH as members?
SCANPH membership is valuable for nonprofit affordable housing developers and community development corporations, property management companies serving affordable housing, resident services providers and supportive housing agencies, mission-aligned for-profit developers, financial institutions including banks, credit unions, and CDFIs, consultants and service providers such as architects, attorneys, accountants, and contractors, public agencies including housing authorities and city/county housing departments, and advocacy organizations working on housing justice and tenant rights. The diverse membership creates opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and partnership development. Membership levels are based on organizational budgets, making membership accessible to organizations of all sizes.
❓ How does SCANPH differ from Housing California?
SCANPH and Housing California are complementary organizations with different geographic scopes and roles. SCANPH is a regional organization specifically serving the five-county Southern California region with deep expertise in local and regional issues, while Housing California is a statewide coalition bringing together regional organizations and statewide partners. SCANPH is a member organization of Housing California and works closely with the statewide coalition on state policy priorities. Many affordable housing organizations maintain memberships in both SCANPH (for regional support and networking) and Housing California (for statewide advocacy and resources). The two organizations coordinate strategies to ensure alignment between regional and statewide priorities.
❓ Can affordable housing residents get involved with SCANPH?
Yes! Affordable housing residents are essential to SCANPH’s work, particularly through the Residents United Network (RUN-LA). Residents can participate in RUN-LA organizing meetings and activities, attend SCANPH public events and policy forums, participate in advocacy campaigns and lobby days, share their stories to educate policymakers and the public, join voter engagement activities during election cycles, and connect with resident councils and organizing groups within their housing communities. SCANPH is committed to centering resident voices in policy advocacy and recognizes that people with lived experience of housing insecurity bring invaluable perspectives to housing justice work. Contact SCANPH at info@scanph.org or visit the Residents United Network page on scanph.org to learn about getting involved.
❓ Does SCANPH provide direct housing assistance to people seeking affordable homes?
SCANPH does not directly operate affordable housing or provide rental assistance to individuals seeking homes. Instead, SCANPH works to strengthen the organizations and systems that create and preserve affordable housing. For direct housing assistance, individuals should contact local housing authorities, nonprofit housing developers, and county housing departments. SCANPH’s website includes a housing search resource page with links to affordable housing listings and referrals to member organizations that may have available units. SCANPH’s role is to advocate for policies and funding that enable more affordable housing to be built, to train and support the organizations that develop and operate affordable properties, and to organize residents for collective power and advocacy.
❓ What is the California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute (CALI)?
CALI is SCANPH’s flagship professional development program providing comprehensive training on affordable housing development and finance fundamentals. The program covers topics including affordable housing finance and funding sources, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and TCAC regulations, project feasibility analysis, entitlements and land use processes, development pro formas and operating budgets, and property management and compliance. CALI is offered in multiple formats including intensive multi-day institutes, monthly webinar series, and on-demand recordings. The program serves both newcomers to affordable housing and experienced professionals seeking to deepen their knowledge. SCANPH members receive discounted tuition. Visit scanph.org for upcoming CALI session dates and registration information.
❓ What was Measure ULA and how did SCANPH contribute to its passage?
Measure ULA (United to House LA) is a landmark Los Angeles ballot measure passed in November 2022 that generates more than $900 million annually for affordable housing and tenant protections through a transfer tax on real estate transactions exceeding $5 million. It represents the largest new local funding source for affordable housing in the United States. SCANPH worked tirelessly on the ULA campaign providing strategic guidance, mobilizing member organizations, conducting resident outreach through RUN-LA, building broad coalitions, and coordinating advocacy efforts. The campaign demonstrated the power of organizing affordable housing residents, building diverse coalitions, and making the case for substantial public investment in housing solutions. ULA funds will support affordable housing production and preservation, tenant legal assistance and eviction prevention, and supportive services for decades to come.
❓ What is SCANPH’s position on rent control and tenant protections?
SCANPH supports policies that protect tenants from displacement and promote housing stability including just cause eviction protections that prevent arbitrary evictions, reasonable rent increase limitations that prevent rent gouging, anti-harassment ordinances that prevent landlord harassment and wrongful evictions, and tenant opportunity to purchase policies that give tenants first right to buy when landlords sell properties. SCANPH recognizes that producing new affordable housing is essential but insufficient without protections for existing tenants in both market-rate and subsidized housing. The organization works to advance tenant protection policies at local and state levels while also advocating for increased production funding, believing that the housing crisis requires both supply-side and demand-side solutions, and that preserving affordability for existing residents is as important as creating new affordable units.
❓ How does SCANPH address racial equity in its work?
Racial equity is central to SCANPH’s mission and operations. The organization explicitly focuses policy work on solutions that address disproportionate impacts on communities of color from the housing crisis, advocates for policies that address historical harms from redlining, exclusionary zoning, and displacement, prioritizes anti-displacement strategies that allow longtime residents and communities of color to remain in their neighborhoods, supports resident organizing and leadership development especially for communities of color through RUN, promotes diversity in the affordable housing workforce through training and career pathways, works to diversify SCANPH’s own staff, board, and member leadership, and incorporates racial equity analysis into all policy positions and organizational decisions. SCANPH recognizes that housing justice and racial justice are inseparable and that effective housing solutions must center the needs and leadership of communities of color most affected by housing insecurity.
❓ What funding sources does SCANPH advocate for?
SCANPH advocates for diverse and sustainable funding sources recognizing that the scale of housing need requires multiple revenue streams. Priority funding mechanisms include local revenue measures like Measure ULA and county housing bonds, state general fund appropriations for affordable housing programs, state housing bonds to capitalize major construction and preservation investments, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocations and program enhancements, tax-exempt bond cap allocations for affordable housing, inclusionary housing and linkage fees on market-rate development, documentary transfer taxes on real estate transactions, and federal housing funding including Section 8 vouchers, HOME grants, and CDBG allocations. SCANPH works at all levels of government to secure and expand resources for affordable housing development, preservation, and tenant assistance.
❓ How can I stay updated on SCANPH’s advocacy and programs?
To stay informed about SCANPH’s work, sign up for email updates through scanph.org, follow SCANPH on social media including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, become a SCANPH member to receive priority communications and member-only updates, attend SCANPH events including trainings, policy briefings, and conferences, and subscribe to specific updates for programs like RUN-LA, CALI training announcements, or policy alerts. SCANPH provides regular updates on legislative developments, upcoming events, training opportunities, advocacy campaigns, and organizational news throughout the year. Members and subscribers can customize their communication preferences to receive updates most relevant to their interests and work.
❓ When and where is the next SCANPH Annual Conference?
The 38th Annual SCANPH Conference is scheduled for October 7-8, 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The conference will bring together over 1,200 affordable housing advocates, developers, policymakers, and stakeholders for two days of workshops, keynote speakers, networking events, and exhibitor showcases. Registration typically opens several months in advance with early bird discounts available. SCANPH members receive substantial registration discounts, and group rates are available for organizations sending multiple attendees. Scholarship support may be available for residents and organizations facing financial barriers. Visit scanph.org for conference registration, program details, hotel information, and exhibitor/sponsorship opportunities as they become available.
❓ How does SCANPH support small and emerging developers?
SCANPH provides multiple forms of support for smaller organizations and emerging developers including CALI and specialized training programs designed for capacity building, peer learning opportunities through Emerging Leaders of Affordable Housing (ELA) programming, technical assistance on development financing and project feasibility, advocacy for policies that support developer diversity including smaller project funding set-asides, member networking that facilitates partnerships between smaller and larger organizations, and advocacy for reduced regulatory barriers that disproportionately burden small developers with limited staff. SCANPH recognizes that diversifying the developer community strengthens the affordable housing field and helps ensure that housing solutions reflect community cultures, priorities, and leadership. The organization works to ensure that membership benefits and program offerings are accessible to organizations regardless of size or budget.
❓ What role does SCANPH play in addressing homelessness?
SCANPH advocates for housing solutions that address homelessness through the Housing First approach, which prioritizes getting people into stable housing without preconditions. The organization supports increased funding for permanent supportive housing that combines affordable homes with wrap-around services, rapid rehousing programs that provide short-term assistance to help people quickly exit homelessness, homelessness prevention resources including rental assistance and eviction legal defense, policies that remove barriers to housing for people with criminal records or rental histories affected by homelessness, and coordinated systems responses that align housing, health care, and social services. SCANPH works with partners including homeless service providers, county health departments, and advocacy organizations to advance comprehensive approaches to homelessness that prioritize housing stability alongside supportive services. The organization recognizes that preventing and ending homelessness requires both emergency interventions and long-term solutions including adequate supply of affordable housing accessible to extremely low-income households.
🎯 Key Takeaways
The Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing (SCANPH) stands as the voice of affordable housing for Southern California’s five-county region, bringing together over 1,500 organizational members and 4,000 affiliated constituents to advance policy solutions, build organizational capacity, and create political power for housing justice. For nearly four decades, SCANPH has played instrumental roles in securing billions of dollars in affordable housing funding—including the landmark Measure ULA generating over $900 million annually—passing critical tenant protections, and developing the next generation of housing leaders through comprehensive training programs.
SCANPH’s comprehensive approach recognizes that sustainable housing solutions require strong policies, robust organizational capacity, and authentic resident leadership. Through state and local legislative advocacy, the California Affordable Housing Leadership Institute and year-round training programs, the groundbreaking Residents United Network (RUN) organizing effort, the region’s largest annual affordable housing conference, and strategic coalition partnerships, the organization engages in the full spectrum of activities necessary to create meaningful change in housing access and affordability across Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
The organization’s commitment to racial equity and housing justice ensures that policy solutions center the needs of low-income communities and communities of color who have been most harmed by discriminatory housing policies and market failures. By building resident power through RUN, supporting developer diversity and capacity, and advocating for anti-displacement protections alongside new production, SCANPH works toward a vision where everyone in Southern California has access to a safe, stable, and affordable home.
Whether you are an affordable housing professional seeking to strengthen your skills and networks, an organization working to develop or preserve affordable housing, an advocate fighting for housing justice, or a resident seeking to get involved in policy and organizing—SCANPH offers resources, community, and opportunities to advance our shared goal of making Southern California a region where everyone can afford to live with dignity and stability.
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📅 Last Updated: February 2026 | This guide is regularly updated to reflect current programs, policies, and contact information. For the most current details about SCANPH’s work, visit scanph.org or call (213) 480-1249.