San Jose Department of Housing - Department

The City's housing goals can only be accomplished through the collaborative commitment of all its partners. Partners, like those listed below, who work hard to create affordable housing for San José residents.

Housing Developers

Bridge Housing, based in San Francisco, is an active housing builder throughout California. Early developments constructed in San Jose included Almaden Lake Apartments, Ohlone Court Family Apartments, and YWCA Villa Nueva. More recently, BRIDGE has completed two new senior housing developments; Mabuhay and Oak Circle.

Community Housing Developers is based in San José and is one of the few companies to work on both acquisition/rehabilitation and new development housing. With eight affordable housing developments throughout San José, their most recent effort is a partnership with the Related Companies of California to build the Village at Willow Glen for seniors.

CORE Development has been one of the most active for profit developers of affordable housing in San José, and is characterized by a willingness to partner with a variety of nonprofits and other developers. Its most recently completed development, Lenzen at the Alameda was developed with a focus on providing affordable housing for teachers. Recently this developer has completed Markham Plaza I and II, which adds more than 300 Single Resident Occupancy (SRO) units for extremely low-income individuals.

EAH Housing has developed five properties in San Jose and manages four more, providing 1,133 affordable units throughout the city. Two adjacent properties, Parkview Family and Parkview Senior Apartments, have made a significant contribution to the revitalization of the Midtown area. EAH acquired and rehabilitated the 70-unit Don de Dios apartments, preserving the affordability of these units for existing residents. The Pollard Plaza development, completed in 2005, was created with the needs of local teachers in mind, and is conveniently located near eight public schools.

Eden Housing has been involved in two large-scale developments and a third smaller one, which have contributed 390 units of housing. Eden Palms has 108 units (75%) of its 145 units affordable to very low-income families. Ohlone Chynoweth Commons, the sixth largest new construction affordable housing development with 195 units, provides residents with easy access to public transit and is located at the Ohlone-Chynoweth Light Rail Station.

Emergency Housing Consortium is a nonprofit organization that operates the Boccardo Regional Reception Center, a transitional housing program, and several small developments in San José. Recently rehabilitated, The Haven provides short-term, fully furnished apartments for families who have lost their own home due to fire or other disaster. This NAHRO award winning development is operated and managed by EHC, with in-take services provided by the American Red Cross of Santa Clara County.

Fairfield Development is expanding into the San José affordable housing market, with the recent acquisition and rehabilitation of Thornbridge and Turn Leaf Apartments. Together these two developments account for 421 units of housing for lower income residents.

First Community Housing has developed seven affordable housing properties in San José. One of their early developments is the award winning Rincon de los Esteros, one of the larger new construction developments the City has funded with 246 affordable units. More recent developments include Craig Gardens Senior Housing and Betty Anne Gardens Family apartments. The most recent development, El Paseo Studios (SRO), has been recognized for its environmentally friendly, photovoltaic design.

Green Valley Corporation, associated with Barry Swenson Builder, has constructed several for-sale affordable housing developments for San José residents. Siena Court and Crescent Parc Townhomes, two of this developer’s most recent projects, are home to numerous San José public school teachers as part of the City’s Teacher Homebuyer Program.

The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara is active countywide and has added more affordable housing developments (14) to San Jose than any other developer. Their work ranges from housing for families and seniors to rehabilitating a whole neighborhood, as they did with Poco Way in the mid-nineties. They have brought more than $120 million in outside financing to build affordable housing in San José.

Housing For Independent People (HIP) works specifically with people who have unique housing needs. They have been involved with seven small developments, primarily the acquisition and rehabilitation of properties to assist residents who have developmental disabilities or illnesses.

InnVision is responsible for the development and management of several transitional shelters in San José. This nonprofit also provides day services to men and women with mental illnesses.

JSM Enterprises has developed 13 properties in San José to date, with three more planned or under construction. One of their most recently completed developments, Villaggio Senior Housing, is the first affordable housing built in the Evergreen Valley area. At the same time, JSM was also working on the now complete Terramina Square Family Apartments and has broken ground on the Branham and Monterey Family Apartments.

KB Homes South Bay, well known for their construction of single family homes, is currently building their first condominium development in San José. Qualified moderate-income homebuyers at Midtown Plaza may be eligibile for downpayment loan assistance of up to $50,000 from the City. Midtown Plaza is located on the former site of the Saddle Rack, and is part of the Midtown revitalization effort.

KDF Communities is relatively new to the San José affordable housing market. They have already made a significant contribution of 470 units, through the acquisition and rehabilitation of Valley Palm and Villa Monterey apartments.

Mexican American Community Services Agency (MACSA) is an active nonprofit agency based in San José. They are responsible for Girasol; a senior housing development that is part of the Mexican Heritage Plaza that includes gardens, theaters, and retail shopping. They have two forthcoming developments planned, another senior housing development, and ownership condominiums located in the Alum Rock district.

Mid-Peninsula Housing has actively developed three new affordable housing properties and rehabilitated two more for families. As their name implies, they are active in many Bay Area communities and manage numerous other properties. In San José, they work with MACSA and HIP to manage five other developments.

The Related Companies of California helped to preserve 696 units of affordable housing in San José, through the acquisition and rehabilitation of the El Rancho Verde property. This award winning development is the largest preservation effort west of the Mississippi. Related also partnered with Community Housing Developers on a 133 unit senior housing development in the Willow Glen area, and with CORE Development on the 180-unit Parkside Glen family apartments.

ROEM Development finished its first San José affordable housing development, Monte Vista Garden Family, during the 2000-01 fiscal year. Since then, it has completed five additional developments and has another three in the planning stage or under construction. Gadberry Court, Monte Vista Garden Seniors II, and Rose Garden Senior were all completed in the past year.