Our Story
What We Believe
It is our belief that one never “owns” real estate. One is simply a steward of it for a period of time. Most properties were here long before one’s stewardship of it, and will be here long after that individual’s stewardship ends.
During one’s stewardship a property can provide all kinds of benefits. The most obvious is SHELTR. It can also provide the tangible benefits of appreciation (in value) and financial security as well as tax benefits. One can add to it’s value in a variety of ways – improving or expanding the property for instance. Additionally, it offers intangible benefits such as being the platform by which people have the space to go do great things, raise a family, live out the story of their lives.
That said, it can also have disadvantages – it can depreciate in value, or even create financial risk, if not purchased in a thoughtful and considered manner, or if not maintained adequately.
This dynamic relationship that we refer to as stewardship, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Rather it plays out in the context of a larger community – whereby that steward is a CITIZEN.
There are amazing benefits to being a CITIZEN and being a part of a larger community – security, safety, happiness, identity. But there are also responsibilities.
Live lightly on your piece of the earth
Strive to get along with your neighbors
Engage in the civic discourse of your city/neighborhood
Care for, and be respectful to the neighborhood
Above all, be kind.
We, as brokers of real property, as matchmakers between properties and stewards, also have a responsibility. Our responsibility is not only to be the platform by which people find SHELTR, but also to inspire CITIZENS to engage in their community, foster this dialogue and to encourage stewardship.
SHELTR&CITIZEN is the model by which this can occur.
Who We Are
SHELTR&CITIZEN is a residential real estate brokerage that has urbanism, social equality, and community built into it’s DNA.
Differentiated by this ethos, it delivers on this promise via initiatives that reflects these values and support and strengthen the communities in which it operates.
Jonathan Kelly is the founder and managing broker of SHELTR&CITIZEN. With over 15 years experience investing, building, and brokering California Real Estate, he is well positioned to thrive in any transaction. Originally from Philadelphia, his studies have included Urban Planning and Development at UC San Diego and Social Psychology at Penn State University. In his life outside of work, Jonathan is the proud father of two young sons, who join him in the outdoors whenever possible—on the beach, on a hike or on the front stoop of their Victorian home in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. With a lifelong passion for exploring and learning, Jonathan has traveled around the world several times, and continues to find fascination at the intersection of travel, urban culture, and the built environment.
Where We Work
Deal-flow has taken us from San Jose to Oakland, San Ramon to Berkeley, and everywhere in between, but our heart is in San Francisco. San Francisco is where we live, love and work. We are located in the geographic center of the city, in the vibrant Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. Lower “Pac” Heights, and the adjacent neighborhoods of Anza Vista, NoPA, Western Addition, Alamo Square, and Hayes Valley are some of the areas that our knowledge runs deepest.
A Note About Our Name — SHELTR & CITIZEN
SHELTR
Wow, this word has taken on a whole new meaning since individuals have been ordered to “shelter-in-place” due to COVID-19. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, shelter is one of the six requirements for addressing our physiological needs. We consciously chose this to be part of our name, because it speaks to this simple and fundamental human need.
CITIZEN
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “citizen” as 1.) an inhabitant of a city or town, OR 2.) a member or a state / a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it.
SHELTR&CITIZEN’s use of the word is defined strictly as “an inhabitant or a city or town”. We respect and honor ALL of the individuals that make up the wonderful and diverse fabric of our community — whether native, naturalized, or other.