Local to Ventura & Santa Barbara County
We work for you, not the property owner
No cost to you in most deals
We work for nonprofits only, never landlords, so our advice stays lined up with your mission. We negotiate fair rent, money toward your build-out, the extra monthly charges, and your right to stay and grow. Whether it is a community center, an outreach office, or your headquarters, the lease should protect your budget for years.
We read your offer and lease line by line and flag anything that could strain your programs or budget.
Nonprofit status does not exempt leased property from tax when the landlord is a private owner. That tax flows to you through NNN. Ask what the current charge is and what it was two years ago before you sign anything.
A sale triggers reassessment, and your share of the higher tax bill arrives mid year, mid budget. A cap on your annual NNN increase is the protection, and it is negotiable.
Funding is committed in cycles and rent escalates on a schedule that has nothing to do with them. Graduated rent, a longer initial term at a fixed rate, and a hard cap on increases all exist for this reason.
Space offered on goodwill still comes with a lease, and that lease is still written by the owner's side. Gratitude is not a lease term. Read it the same way you would read one from a stranger.
Public programming, meetings, and events can trigger their own permit requirements, parking ratios, and accessibility obligations. Confirm your use is permitted before rent starts, not after.
A nonprofit organization found a property that looked like a strong fit. The location was accessible, the space could accommodate its programs, and there was enough room for the organization to grow without having to move again too soon.
The asking rent was only part of the decision.
Before committing, we looked at the permitted use, operating expenses, maintenance responsibilities, improvement costs, parking, accessibility, and the other obligations that could affect the organization’s budget over the life of the lease.
That changed the conversation.
Instead of evaluating the property based only on the advertised rent, the organization could see the full commitment it was being asked to make. Those responsibilities became part of the negotiation while there was still an opportunity to change the deal.
For a nonprofit, every dollar committed to the wrong lease is a dollar that cannot be used for the mission.
How many spaces would you have considered before somebody thought to ask what the lease could really take away from the organization’s budget?
| Line item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Base rent | Quoted per square foot per month. The only number most boards see. |
| Property tax through NNN | Your proportionate share, in full. Nonprofit status does not remove this when the landlord is a private owner. |
| Insurance and common area maintenance | The other two legs of triple net, billed on top of base rent. |
| Build out and accessibility work | Public-facing programs carry accessibility obligations that a private office does not. |
| Permits for assembly use | If you gather people, the city has an opinion. Timeline and cost both belong in the budget. |
You Tell Us What You Need
We Find Your Space and Negotiate Your Deal
You’re Open for Business
The property owner pays our fee in most commercial lease deals. You pay nothing out of your pocket in most cases
Generally no, not when you lease from a private for profit landlord. California’s welfare exemption requires the property to be owned by a qualifying nonprofit organization, and the state’s position is that ownership sits with the for profit owner. If you lease triple net, you are paying your share of that property tax through your NNN charges. Confirm your specific situation with your CPA and your county assessor.
Then stay with them. Once you are represented, or another agent has introduced you to a space, that is their deal. Come to us at the start of your next search, or when your renewal comes up.
Or call (805) 203-6365 · 472 E Santa Clara Street, Ventura
