Challenge

KM Thibodeaux Consulting LLC and Bluhon Group co-facilitated a strategic planning initiative to establish a new advocacy organization focused on increasing affordable housing supply in Santa Clara County. The initiative — sponsored by the Housing Trust Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California — engaged 110 opinion leaders in the non-profit and for-profit sectors of the housing industry, elected officials, and special interest advocates.

Approach

Ms. Thibodeaux and Mr. Bluhon co-facilitated a 12-member steering committee in an in-depth process of benchmarking analogous organizations in California; facilitating a visioning workshop; conducting focus groups; and interviewing 30 leaders in affordable housing. The process resulted in a detailed situation assessment and a mission statement and organizational plan for forming the new group.

Outcomes

The strategic plan led to formation of Silicon Valley at Home (SV@Home) a 501(c)3 organization that will take the leadership role in Silicon Valley to advance policy, projects, and coalitions of interest to support affordable housing.