Our Mission
We buy houses that need a second chance and turn them into homes for people who need one too. Not a cot for a single night, but safe, shared homes with both interim and long-term options that meet people where they are. With individualized case coordination and strong community partnerships, we help each person build the stability to move toward independence.
Our mission is simple.
Provide safe housing, restore stability, and create pathways to hope for every individual we serve.
About Us
Rooted in the Inland Empire
Anchor of Hope Homes is a Southern California housing provider, rooted right here in Riverside County and San Bernardino County. We exist for the people this region too often overlooks, those who are unsheltered or living just one hard week away from it, and we meet them with housing that is safe, stable, and genuinely compassionate.
We offer a continuum of interim and long-term homes, so no one is rushed and no one is left without a next step. We meet people where they are. Through steady support, individualized case coordination, and real community partnerships, we help each resident build the footing to stabilize their life and hold onto a home for good.
And we do not do this alone. By working hand in hand with countywide homelessness response systems, Continuums of Care, and local strategic plans, we are part of a coordinated effort to reduce, and one day end, homelessness across the Inland Empire, expanding access to housing, strengthening the support around each person, and improving the odds for those who need it most.
Who We Serve
Serving Those Who Served, and Those Finding Their Way
Some people need more than a roof over their head. They need a little time, a little structure, and someone who actually believes they can get back on their feet. That is who we open our doors to, in safe, affordable shared homes across the Inland Empire, independent living settings for adults 18 to 65. Our homes offer a safe, supportive environment where residents can stabilize, rebuild, and work toward long-term housing security. Anchor of Hope Homes is dedicated to providing dignified housing, compassionate support, and a clear path to lasting stability.
"The moment the keys are in their hands, that's when everything changes."
Veterans
Men and women who served our country and now need a stable place to land. They have earned more than a bed. They have earned a real path forward.
Adults Facing Homelessness
People who are unsheltered or living somewhere unsafe, and are ready for something steady they can build on.
Reentry and Recovery
Those rebuilding after incarceration or working through recovery, who need a stable home to make the next chapter stick.
A Fresh Start
Adults between 18 and 65 navigating a major life transition who simply need a safe, affordable place to begin again. Veterans are especially encouraged to apply. Anchor of Hope was founded by one.
Our Three Strategic Pillars
Grounded in Purpose. Rooted in Dignity. Built for Stability.
Purpose in Every Decision
Every home we buy and every placement we make has one aim, moving people from instability to independence.
- Mission-driven property acquisition
- Program-aligned housing placements
- Long-term community impact planning
Dignity Without Judgment
We meet people where they are, with respect and without judgment. Everyone here is a person, never a case number.
- Zero-judgment intake and placement
- Trauma-informed, respectful homes
- Every resident treated as a person, not a case number
Stability Through Ownership
We own and maintain the homes for the long term, so housing stays steady even when the market does not.
- Homes we own in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties
- Long-term ownership prevents displacement
- Housing that stays predictable and sustainable
We align with
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (HUD-VASH, SSVF, GPD, HCHV) · Veterans Resource Center of America · Riverside County Dept. of Housing & Workforce Solutions · San Bernardino County Dept. of Behavioral Health · VA Loma Linda Healthcare System
Our Region
Focused on the Inland Empire
Our operations are concentrated in Riverside County and San Bernardino County. We work within regional Continuum of Care systems to ensure housing placements are coordinated, structured, and compliant.
Our real estate expertise allows us to control acquisition costs, renovation timelines, and long-term housing affordability.
This work is local, it is deliberate, and it is built to last.
Riverside County
Strategic property acquisition across Riverside's diverse communities. Partnering with the County Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions to align placements with regional needs.
San Bernardino County
Coordinating with the Department of Behavioral Health and VA Loma Linda Healthcare System to provide integrated housing and support services across the county.
Focus
2 Counties
Approach
Local First
Our Model
Why We Own the Homes
Most housing programs rent on the open market, which means rising rents and sudden lease endings can put people right back where they started. We take a different path. We buy and hold the homes ourselves, so the people we serve are not at the mercy of the market.
"Housing stability cannot depend on market fluctuation."
Reduce Long-Term Cost Exposure
Ownership eliminates the unpredictability of rising rents and lease terminations.
Prevent Displacement
When we own the property, residents cannot be displaced by market forces.
Homes Ready When People Need Them
Owning our homes means space is there for the people who need it, when they need it.
Maintain Program Integrity
Stable housing allows case managers to focus on outcomes, not logistics.
Our Founder
Founded by Tommy L. Smith, U.S. Navy Veteran
Anchor of Hope Homes was built from lived experience. After transitioning from military service to civilian life, Mr. Smith saw how quickly instability can become crisis when structure, support, and safe housing are missing. The growing number of individuals, including fellow veterans, who were unsheltered or at risk of homelessness weighed heavily on him and inspired a commitment to be part of the region's effort to reduce and end homelessness.
To begin addressing these gaps, Mr. Smith and his team started acquiring properties through his real estate company, Riverside Homebuyers, by assisting individuals who could no longer maintain their homes, offering them alternative housing solutions while transitioning the properties into safe, stable living options for those in need.
As the need grew, so did the mission.
Recognizing the opportunity to create lasting impact, Mr. Smith expanded this work by transforming these properties into independent living homes offering interim and long-term shared housing. Veterans are especially encouraged to apply, reflecting Mr. Smith's dedication to supporting those who have served.
Today, Anchor of Hope Homes stands as a testament to one veteran's determination to turn personal experience into community change, providing dignified housing, compassionate support, and a pathway toward lasting stability for individuals across the Inland Empire.
Get Involved
Partner With Anchor of Hope Homes
None of this happens alone. Ending homelessness takes people and organizations who want it as much as we do, and if that is you, let's talk. Whether you are a county agency open to collaboration, someone with a person to refer, a donor investing in housing stability, or a real estate partner with off-market properties, there is a real place for you here. Together we can expand access to safe, affordable housing and strengthen the work to reduce, and ultimately end, homelessness across the Inland Empire.
County agencies, VA partners, and real estate professionals