Who We Are

Empowering Lives
HIP Housing empowers families and individuals in San Mateo County to live happier, more independent and self-sufficient lives through innovative housing and mentoring programs that help break the cycle of poverty and end homelessness.

Creative Affordable Housing Solutions
With its unique Home Sharing, Self Sufficiency and Property Development programs, HIP Housing is a leader in providing creative affordable housing solutions for people in San Mateo County. HIP Housing’s self-funding operating model maximizes existing housing stock and ensures that every dollar donated goes directly into programs that positively impact people’s lives.

50-plus Years of Commitment to San Mateo County
For more than 50 years, HIP Housing has demonstrated its strong commitment to helping people in San Mateo County to live better, more independent lives. HIP Housing is uniquely knowledgeable about San Mateo County, and uses that expertise to further its affordable housing and human potential mission on behalf of families and individuals in need.

Investing in Human Potential
Every day, HIP Housing works hard to live up to its name – Human Investment Project – by investing its creativity, resources and passion in helping people to find a safe, affordable home that is so crucial to living a happy, healthy life.

Important Message from Our Executive Director

HIP Housing’s staff and Board of Directors share in the sorrow and fury over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and all who have been victimized by racial discrimination, violence, and injustice. As a social service organization, and as individuals, we understand that the profound fear, anger, and grief people are feeling reflect long-standing social injustice and recurring complex trauma — physical, psychological, economic, and social.

For far too long, inequality has existed for people of color in our country. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the devastating extent of this inequality, with data showing that Latinx and African Americans are disproportionately affected by the disease and its economic impacts.

For 48 years, HIP Housing has fought for housing equity in San Mateo County. We want every person to have a safe, secure, and affordable place to call home.

We want our communities to be strong, thriving, and gloriously diverse.

We believe that every person should be heard and valued.

Because these things are at the very heart of who we are as an agency, we stand with our staff, clients, tenants, partners, and community members who demand justice and true, deep systematic change.

Now is the time for us to educate ourselves, to listen, and to act decisively against racism and discrimination. At HIP Housing, we are striving to be the change we want to see in the world: we have prioritized the hiring of an HR professional who will be charged with developing a robust inclusion strategy, and we are building communication models that will support our wonderfully diverse team in having difficult, meaningful conversations about race and inequality...for we recognize that diversity means nothing if it is not accompanied by empowerment and a commitment to progress.

We are deeply grateful for every person working to make San Mateo County and our Country just and equitable for all, and we stand with you.

Black Lives Matter.

Sincerely,

Kate Comfort Harr

Executive Director

Stop Anti-Asian Violence and Hate

HIP Housing stands in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and condemns the increase in anti-Asian violence, hate, and racism seen across the country and in the Bay Area.

The horrifying incidents of anti-Asian violence that have occurred across the United States in recent weeks, including the murder of eight people in Atlanta, are yet another heartbreaking example of the deeply unjust and inexcusable racism and discrimination faced by communities of color. Racism imperils the safety and life of every person of color in this country, and is a fundamental part of American history and society. As a social service organization, we call for the complete eradication of a culture of racism and white supremacy.

We are honored to be part of a vibrant Bay Area community whose history has been shaped by Asian culture, and we believe that diverse communities are stronger and more resilient.  HIP Housing believes it is our duty and responsibility to stand with, and advocate for, the people of color in our community.  We must recommit ourselves, in every moment and with every action, to the fight for justice and equality for all.

If you experience or witness a violent hate incident in progress, please call 911. For guidelines and resources on how to respond to and report hate incidents, please visit Stop AAPI Hate's website.