Inside CHOC’s Real Estate Development Approach
Building communities. One family at a time.
Since 1984, CHOC has served as a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in California, building multifamily affordable housing across California, providing safe, stable homes for working families. Our focus is less on the number of communities we’ve built and more on what’s driving our organization forward.
Our multi-prong approach to affordable housing through real estate development, property management, and resident services has earned our organization an award-winning reputation across California.
As a mission-driven real estate development nonprofit, CHOC is able to go beyond construction and offer property management, resident services, and more for the working families who live in our communities. This approach has earned us a reputation for collaboration, impact, and integrity across the state.
An Approach That Sets CHOC Apart
Many real estate developers stop at the construction phase. At CHOC, we keep going after our housing is completed. We’re guided by principles that support the long-term stability and well-being of our residents. CHOC’s mission helped us develop our approach, one that integrates real estate development, property management, and resident services.
CHOC REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
Our Real Estate Development division is dedicated to developing, constructing, renovating, and preserving affordable housing in both Northern and Southern California. In addition to our extensive expertise, CHOC has the ability to manage all aspects of real estate development, including project financing, community outreach, construction management, property management, resident services, and asset management. Led by the Vice President of Real Estate Development, our team prioritizes design, budgeting, and scheduling to ensure that construction aligns with our quality control standards.
STERLING ASSET MANAGEMENT
Once a CHOC community is built, that’s where our property management division steps in. With a 30-year track record, Sterling Asset Management maintains quality property service for CHOC residents and the long-term maintenance of CHOC’s portfolio. Sterling’s mission translates into higher satisfaction, less turnover, timely professional responses to service requests for our residents, and a fulfilling quality of life experience. Licensed by the California Department of Real Estate, Sterling is a HUD and HCD-approved management agent.
CHOC COMMUNITY IMPACT
We also have our resident services division, CHOC Community Impact. Our CHOC Impact team supports the success and stability of our residents. From health and wellness workshops to after-school programs, CHOC Impact builds community from the inside out.
Our three-pronged approach allows us to build affordable housing and also create spaces where working families can build a stable foundation for their lives. This is what sets CHOC apart.
Above: Resident family and the grand opening of Placita Dolores Huerta, CHOC Real Estate project in Coachella, CA | Photos courtesy of Noé Montes
What Real Estate Development Looks Like at CHOC
CHOC’s RED division not only develops high-quality, multifamily affordable housing that reflects the local context, but also has an eye to supporting family life and fostering immediate and greater community engagement.
The Monarch Apartment Homes in Palm Springs is an excellent example of this. Monarch’s vision was to provide 60 affordable apartment homes to working families while supporting their well-being. From grassroots connections with neighborhood associations to our groundbreaking to now, a year after Monarch's residents first moved in, CHOC's approach remains hands-on. We recently spoke with Monarch residents to gain a deeper understanding of their respective, positive residence experiences.
Above: Monarch Apartment Homes | Photo courtesy of Noé Montes
“Our goal is to have a multi-generational approach. So whatever message we're sending to youth, parents, and seniors, it's the same across the board,” Juan Pulido, the Director of Resident Services, recently said in a KESQ interview.
A few miles away in Coachella, CA, Placita Dolores Huerta (PDH) is another example. Named after the civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, who attended our groundbreaking, the community honors her legacy through thoughtful design, sustainability, and community-first amenities. CHOC celebrated its completion alongside local and state leaders in May 2024.
Above: Placita Dolores Huerta Grand Opening, Coachella, CA | Photo courtesy of Noé Montes
Integrated Divisions, Collaborative Results
CHOC’s unique strength lies in the way our divisions work seamlessly together. Our real estate development team makes sure that every affordable housing community is thoughtfully planned and constructed.
Once the apartment homes and the surrounding facilities are complete, Sterling Asset Management begins their work to oversee operations. CHOC Impact is responsive, delivering services tailored to the specific needs of each community, perhaps hosting a bingo night, and at other times, a financial literacy workshop, based on each community’s specific needs.
Our divisions also work with real estate developers outside of our organization. In Sacramento, Sutter Capital Group is partnering with CHOC Impact and Sterling Asset Management to provide resident services and property management for an upcoming affordable housing project scheduled to open in 2026.
Above: The Residence Inn to be converted into a mixed housing project with CHOC and Sterling Asset Management in partnership with Sutter Capital Group. Image Courtesy of Sacramento County
Real Estate Development with a Deeper Purpose
Our mission is built on the understanding that affordable housing is a cohesive sum of all parts, encompassing everything from construction to resident services onsite and property management oversight, the latter two working with residents on a daily basis.
With increasing demand for affordable housing, CHOC is committed to its core mission: building smartly, managing effectively, and always putting people at the heart of what we do. We’re also guided by a leadership team that brings decades of experience, deep local knowledge, and a shared commitment to community building and professional excellence. As the greater CHOC organization, we remain committed to doing this work.
Founded in 1984, Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC) is a non-profit affordable housing developer, energy, services and property management provider headquartered in Fairfield, CA; we create and manage equitable communities for individuals, families, seniors, and those with special needs. CHOC believes that economically integrated affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and achievable with enriching, supportive programs that instill pride in residents, stabilize families, and improve local economies. Visit CHOCHousing.org.