As I write to all of you today from my home office, I see a mid-day sky darkened from fires throughout the Sierras and Washington State, and with millions of other Americans responding to COVID-19, considering how I should positively respond in a time of highly divisive upcoming elections, unemployment and greater calls for social justice in America and the world.
We at First Community Housing are learning every day in an era piled high with challenges how to rise to the occasion. This newsletter celebrates our efforts to stay connected and reaffirm FCH's core values:
- Innovation and leadership in the advancement of environmental sustainability
- Collaboration, which fosters trust and loyalty among our partners, vendors and communities
- Resident centric in all we do
- Creative problem solving and persistence to house the most vulnerable populations
- Integrity and care in serving our residents, our partners, and each other
Through all these challenges, I take real pride in how our FCH family has come together for our stakeholders, our residents and for each other.
Your's in Service,
Geoffrey Morgan
President and CEO
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365 units of multifamily housing |
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First Community Housing plans to build 365 units of multifamily housing for households earning up to 60% AMI. One of the two buildings will house 141 families with a mix of 1-BR, 2-BR, and 3-BR units. The other building will be geared for workforce housing with 224 studios. Two units will be reserved for on-site staff per building. |
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The video on the left highlights a huge project put together by the resident services team and FCH staff to provide a thoughtful gift delivery to residents while they shelter at home. 600 gift bags were assembled and decorated for six properties in the South Bay!
This project would not be possible without the support of Property Managers and staff. For all those that helped out, we cannot thank you enough for the countless hours that were spent assembling and distributing these warm-hearted gifts to brighten so many people's day. A BIG thank you to all involved!
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We are proud to announce that Second Street Studios is included as a case study in the recently released book Blueprint for Greening Affordable Housing, published by Island Press. In this fully revised edition, co-authors Kimberly Vermeer and Walker Wells capture the rapid evolution of green building practices, using First Community Housing’s green practices and Second Street Studios to make a compelling case for integrating green building in affordable housing.
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One of the most inspiring aspects of our work at First Community Housing is that we have the ability to create communities that embrace the benefits of nature. Access to open space and backyard gardens are often a luxury not easily accessible to low income people living in cities, but we strive to bridge this gap by creating community gardens, native landscapes, pollinator gardens, and innovative micro urban farms.
A little over two years ago, then Public Allies, Casie and Nyan worked with the Guadalupe Apartments staff, Cheng, Abel, and Oscar and residents to get fruit trees planted in an open/under-utilized space. Today, the fruit trees are healthy and full of fruit. The gardens are very well taken care of as evidenced in the photos above. The staff and the residents love their fruit trees and their community gardens, and Guadalupe is a model community micro urban farm. We're planning to expand the urban fruit orchard with more fruit trees and a pollinator garden! Learn more about our efforts on our website here. |
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Gina is a San Jose native that says her life has changed immeasurably since moving into Second Street Studios. “It’s nice not being on the streets and having a home,” she says. Gina is happy to have a community in her new home and being able to get to know and spend time with her neighbors.
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We’re excited to share that FCH has been evaluated by Charity Navigator through their Encompass Rating System and received a 100 out of 100 rating! The Encompass Rating System is a comprehensive evaluation tool that analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators. In July 2020, Charity Navigator released the first indicator, Finance & Accountability, to highlight nonprofit organizations demonstrating fiscal responsibility. You can find our Charity Navigator Encompass rating here.
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Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments
OPENING in 2021!
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Leigh Avenue Senior Apartments is slated to complete construction in early 2021! This 64 unit complex will house chronically homeless seniors requiring in-home supportive services and will be managed by the County, in partnership with the Housing Authority. Located at 1030 Leigh Avenue at Southwest Expressway in San Jose, this development is attracting significant attention. Drive by, have a look and plan to join us in 2021 for a grand opening ceremony! |
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Join FCH at the final
2020 Election Candidate Forum on 9/24
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FCH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 77-0119210.
If you shop on Amazon, you can select FCH as your donor charity on AmazonSmile!
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