Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund

The Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund (MFSHF) was established to honor the life and legacy of Mickey Flacks, a committed community activist who spent over five decades championing housing justice, tenants’ rights, and social equity in Santa Barbara, California. The fund is administered by The Fund for Santa Barbara, an organization known for its long-standing support of grassroots activism and systemic change. MFSHF continues Mickey Flacks’ mission by investing in organizations and groups that advocate for and lead efforts toward social housing justice across Santa Barbara County. The core objective of the fund is to support local initiatives that address the systemic barriers to affordable and equitable housing. The MFSHF prioritizes four major categories of funding: the development of cooperative housing models, grassroots organizing for progressive housing policy, tenant organizing, and seed funding for innovative housing strategies. All applicants must demonstrate their commitment to social housing as defined by the creation and maintenance of housing that serves people based on need, not market incentives. Projects that aim to develop cooperative housing are encouraged, especially those that draw from the not-for-profit co-op ownership model. Applicants must show a clear trajectory toward the creation of new cooperative housing, including plans for governance, financing, and community involvement. This funding priority reflects Mickey Flacks’ belief in the viability of cooperative housing in high-cost areas like Santa Barbara, especially when supported by favorable public policies. The fund also supports grassroots efforts to advocate for new housing policies that integrate affordability, environmental sustainability, and urban density. These applicants must demonstrate innovation and boldness, particularly in areas where traditional funding sources may not be available due to the political nature of the work. Similarly, organizations focused on tenant organizing are eligible for support, especially when they present concrete strategies for empowering renters and building long-term capacity within tenant communities. In addition to these focused categories, the MFSHF offers funding for novel housing solutions such as tiny homes, co-housing models, and mobile housing initiatives. These proposals must emphasize permanent affordability and demonstrate long-term impact through strategic planning and capacity-building elements. Funding requests are accepted on a rolling basis, subject to an initial eligibility screening by The Fund for Santa Barbara and dependent on the availability of funds. The maximum award amount per grant is $5,000, and each grant has a 12-month term. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the fund directly at [email protected] with a brief description of their project before formally applying. This outreach step helps determine alignment with the fund’s mission and eligibility requirements. The fund remains open until resources are exhausted and may close at any time without prior notice.