Habitat for Humanity offers expertise in partnerships and affordable housing. Partnering with residents and other organizations helps ensure that Habitat’s work — from home rehabs to community gardens, from new houses to financial literacy classes — contributes to the fabric of neighborhoods and makes them an inviting place to call home.

We can’t do this work alone, and we don’t pretend to have all the answers. We must collaborate with partners who share a common vision, goals and values for the neighborhood and who bring their own areas of expertise to the process, with each organization doing its part to help revitalize the neighborhood.

Every neighborhood is unique and has its own strengths and weaknesses that must be addressed to ensure that neighborhood revitalization is successful. Our work is built upon the principle that, to be successful, each neighborhood must be treated uniquely.

We engage with our communities in the different ways, depending on what the self-described neighborhood needs are needs are. Sometimes we serve as active participants in neighborhood revitalization efforts, while at other times we may serve the role of convener: seeking others with a similar vision to move forward with a community development idea. These roles may vary over time as neighborhood needs change.

Starting work at the local level, we can build the change that is needed in neighborhoods across San Diego.