Beginning in 2022, the Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF) initiated a search for a permanent facility to stabilize and expand its delivery of culturally specific services for the Filipino American community in San Francisco.
A cornerstone community organization in the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District since 1997, FADF was driven by sustained real estate pressures and a strategic shift toward long-term asset control to support direct service providers, including youth education, mental health care, and community-based cultural programming.
After first connecting in December 2022, FADF and CAST formally partnered in early 2023 in response to a request for proposals from the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (SFMOHCD). By March, they submitted a joint application, with CAST providing development services, underwriting, and transaction structuring to support site control and feasibility.
By December 2024, FADF successfully acquired 457 Minna Street, a 7,510-square-foot building with an adjacent 5,625-square-foot lot financed through a layered capital stack combining a $2.89 million grant from the API Equity Fund, $1 million from CAST, and $400,000 in direct investment from FADF. The API Equity Fund, established through advocacy led by SOMA Pilipinas and the API Council, represents a targeted public investment strategy to address displacement and support long-term stabilization of API-serving institutions.
In March 2026, FADF and its partner organizations moved in, marking a major milestone in the activation of the site. The new home now houses FADF alongside the Filipino Mental Health Initiative – San Francisco, SOMA Pilipinas, and the Filipino Education Center Galing Bata. Collectively, these organizations serve low-income, immigrant, and intergenerational Filipino communities through integrated programming spanning mental health services, youth development, cultural preservation, and community wellness.
This partnership reflects a scalable model for arts and cultural real estate stabilization, leveraging public funding, nonprofit development expertise, and community-based leadership to secure permanent space for essential service providers and cultural institutions.
