Community HousingWorks
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| Community HousingWorks | |
|---|---|
| Name | Community HousingWorks |
| Formation | 1988 |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | San Diego, California |
| Region served | Southern California |
| Leader title | President & CEO |
| Leader name | Steve Bocanegra |
Community HousingWorks is a nonprofit affordable housing developer and service provider based in San Diego, California, focused on creating and preserving affordable rental housing and delivering resident services. It operates across multiple Southern California communities, partnering with municipal agencies, philanthropic foundations, healthcare institutions, and financial intermediaries to serve low- and moderate-income households. The organization integrates housing development with supportive services, property management, and community engagement.
History
Community HousingWorks was founded in 1988 amid local efforts to address housing scarcity and urban redevelopment in San Diego County, California. Early collaborations involved municipal redevelopment agencies such as the San Diego Housing Commission and regional entities including the Metropolitan Transit System (San Diego). The organization’s work has intersected with major urban initiatives like the Balboa Park revitalizations and transit-oriented projects near the San Diego Trolley. Over subsequent decades it has developed projects in neighborhoods connected to institutions such as the University of California, San Diego and local hospital systems like Scripps Health. Its timeline reflects broader policy environments shaped by laws and programs including the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, federal actions by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and state initiatives in California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Mission and Programs
The mission emphasizes affordable housing preservation and creation alongside resident services tied to health, employment, and education. Programs coordinate with service models advanced by organizations such as Corporation for Supportive Housing, National Low Income Housing Coalition, and regional partners including the San Diego Workforce Partnership. Resident services draw from collaborations with healthcare providers like Rady Children's Hospital and social service agencies such as United Way of San Diego County. Workforce development, early childhood support, and financial counseling link to national organizations including Goodwill Industries International and the Jobs for the Future network.
Housing Development and Services
Housing development projects include mixed-income and supportive housing developments aligned with transit corridors like those served by the San Diego Trolley and redevelopment zones similar to projects in East Village, San Diego and Little Italy, San Diego. Community HousingWorks’ portfolio has encompassed preservation of federally subsidized properties under programs originating from the Section 8 legacy and new construction financed through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and municipal bond instruments such as tax-exempt bonds. On-site services often mirror models used by institutions like Pathways to Housing and Mercy Housing, offering case management, behavioral health linkages, and tenancy-sustaining services in coordination with county behavioral health systems like San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.
Funding and Partnerships
Funding sources span public, private, and philanthropic streams: local housing authorities such as the San Diego Housing Commission, state financing from agencies like the California Housing Finance Agency, federal funding administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for veteran initiatives, and capital from national lenders including the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Philanthropic partnerships have included foundations such as the William H. Nickerson Foundation and metropolitan funders akin to the San Diego Foundation. Development deals have involved private-sector partners including community development financial institutions like Enterprise Community Partners and national banks with community reinvestment mandates such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America.
Governance and Organization
Governance follows a nonprofit board structure with executive leadership overseeing development, property management, finance, and resident services divisions. Board composition has reflected community stakeholders, affordable housing experts, and representatives from entities similar to the Urban Land Institute and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Organizational practices align with accounting standards applied to nonprofit housing developers and reporting requirements monitored by investors including the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and syndicators such as Civic Builders-type intermediaries.
Impact and Metrics
Impact metrics include units developed or preserved, households served, and resident outcomes in employment, health, and educational attainment. Evaluations have used indicators common to the field such as housing stability rates, rent affordability measures tied to Area Median Income designations, and supportive services outcomes comparable to studies by the Urban Institute and the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. Community HousingWorks reports contributions to neighborhood stabilization, reductions in homelessness counts measured in point-in-time efforts by San Diego Continuum of Care, and alignment with regional housing goals set by the California Department of Finance and metropolitan planning organizations like the San Diego Association of Governments.
Awards and Recognition
Projects and leadership have received recognition from local and national bodies including awards comparable to those granted by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the California Housing Consortium, and urban design accolades from institutions like the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Diego chapter. Honors have acknowledged excellence in preservation, design, and resident services, reflecting peer recognition from organizations such as Affordable Housing Finance and regional civic leaders.