A House, a History, and a Hopeful Future: Dedicating the Biddy Mason House
Recently, I had the honor of serving as MC for the dedication of the Biddy Mason House, now a vibrant community resource for foster youth in Los Angeles. This project has been five years in the making, beginning when California Lutheran Homes Foundation (CLH) purchased the historic home and committed to restoring it for a purpose worthy of its name. Under the steady leadership of Gina Cunningham, Yvette Ahlstrom and board member Erik Pfahler, HomeAid Orange County | Los Angeles (HomeAid OCLA) carried the renovation to the finish line with its partners, Greystar, Urban Renovation and Construction West Inc. (URC), Gorman Roofing, RSR Architecture, Oakridge Landscape, David Yool/Buehler Engineering, and Studio Pad transforming a beautiful old craftsman into a place that will help young people find stability, community, and a path forward.
As I looked out at the crowd gathered in West Adams, I couldn’t help but think about the legacy of the woman whose name graces the front steps: Bridget “Biddy” Mason. Born into slavery in 1818, Biddy Mason walked west with a pioneer caravan, won her freedom in a California court in 1856, and became one of the first Black landowners in Los Angeles. A skilled nurse and midwife, she invested in people and in property, quietly building wealth that she poured back into her community through care, philanthropy, and congregation-building. It’s no exaggeration that she is remembered as a “grandmother of Los Angeles” a matriarch whose perseverance and generosity helped shape the city’s civic and spiritual foundations.
Today, that legacy is alive through the leadership of Jackie Broxton and the Biddy Mason Charitable Foundation (BMCF). Jackie and her board have carried Biddy’s spirit forward meeting foster youth and transition-age young adults with practical support, relational care, and a determination to remove barriers. Their work stands on the same cornerstone Biddy laid: compassionate action that creates real opportunity.
This dedication also highlights the vital role of California Lutheran Homes. Under the guidance of CLH President & CEO Deacon Nancy Ackerman and with the full support of the CLH board, where I’m grateful to serve as Treasurer, CLH purchased and restored the house so it could be used in service to the community. Nancy’s leadership is grounded in a simple truth she often repeats: we create affordable housing and support “one unit at a time,” one life at a time. That ethic informed CLH’s decision to invest in this home and entrust its future to the BMCF mission.
For HomeAid, this is the work we were built to do: mobilize the building industry, philanthropy, service providers, and civic partners to make places like this possible. On this project, HomeAid OCLA served as the construction catalyst coordinating architecture and renovation and rallying partners to deliver a high-quality community space designed for the specific needs of foster youth. BMCF is the service provider; the house is a community resource center; and the aim is to create a welcoming, dignified space where young people can find stability and support.
What makes this house special isn’t only the brick and timber that was restored, it’s the story it tells. On these floors, Biddy Mason’s legacy meets today’s urgent need. The same city she helped build now welcomes young people who have spent too much of life moving from place to place. Here, they will find mentors, classes, counseling, and community, tangible tools to help them plant roots and pursue their dreams.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who made this day possible: to Gina, Yvette and Erik for their tireless stewardship; to Jackie and the BMCF team for their daily, hands-on service; to Nancy and CLH for their vision and faithful investment; and to the builder, design, and trade partners who brought skill and generosity to every detail.
Biddy Mason taught Los Angeles that wealth is most powerful when it’s shared, that homes are most sacred when they welcome, and that community is built through steady acts of care. With this house now open, that lesson continues, one young person at a time.