Meet the Team Streamlining Affordable Housing Property Management

At CHOC, we don’t just build homes for working families — we build communities, one household at a time. While we’re known for designing beautiful, sustainable spaces, there’s another driving force behind our success: our property management division, Sterling Asset Management.

Sterling’s recent progress has unlocked exciting opportunities to expand affordable housing across California. In collaboration with Sutter Capital Group and Sacramento County, Sterling will play a property management role in transforming a former Marriott Residence Inn into a new affordable housing community — bringing hope and stability to more families in California.

Keep reading to discover how Sterling is making a difference for our residents and the incredible work our staff accomplishes every day across our properties.

The Residence Inn to be converted into a mixed housing project for people experiencing homelessness and people with moderate incomes. Image Courtesy of Sacramento County

About Sterling Asset Management

Established in 1992, Sterling Asset Management Company (SAMC) maintains quality property service for CHOC residents and the long-term maintenance of CHOC’s portfolio. Sterling is licensed by the California Department of Real Estate and is a HUD and HCD-approved management agent.

Dedicated to superior property value, appearance, and resident experience, Sterling has an ambitious plan for growth. Aligned with CHOC’s vision, Sterling’s operating principles are Competence, Balance, Passion, Collaboration, and Humor. Sterling offers best-in-class service, delivering the utmost attention to detail at every property.

Owners can count on solid financial information, strong attention to detail, and a dedication to maintaining superior property value and appearance. For residents, Sterling’s mission translates into higher satisfaction, less turnover, timely professional responses to service requests, and a fulfilling quality of life experience.

The Sterling Team

Tanya Street, Senior Director of Operations, joined the Sterling team in the fall of 2024. Over the course of her property management career, Tanya directly managed section 8, project-based, and tax credit communities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and St Croix. From 2003, Tanya progressed to the oversight of 4000+ unit portfolios in Texas and California.

After a break from property management, managing a criminal law firm and family law firm in New Jersey, Tanya returned to property management, overseeing operations for conventional, luxury mid-rise and high-rise rental apartment developments in Waikiki and Kaka'ako (Honolulu, HI), before joining Sterling Asset Management. Her diverse experience showcases her versatility and ability to lead, encouraging the growth and success of each team member.

Now based out of CHOC’s Palm Springs office – close to the newly opened Placita Dolores Huerta and Monarch Apartment Homes – Tanya has been hard at work streamlining processes and improving Sterling’s overall operation.

“One of the most important elements in any organization is effective communication—especially when it comes to processes and procedures,” Tanya says.
“Developing processes and procedures requires a team-oriented approach,” she adds. “It involves collaboration with the accounting department, compliance department, HR, and the development team. Everyone needs to be on the same page with a clear understanding of what’s expected and what’s needed.”

John Avalos, Sterling’s Director of Compliance, began his property management career in Ventura. For a few years, he worked in commercial real estate, managing shopping centers, until the 2008 market crash. He then moved into compliance, a behind-the-scenes role that required more paperwork, but he thrived, saying that compliance “helps me provide affordable housing support to managers as the backbone of their work.” He also shares a great appreciation for Sterling’s property management team.

“My main goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel—forms are forms, no matter the program,” John says. “We update them as needed to meet program requirements; my focus is [to get] everyone on the same page.”

Jasmine Jones, Community Manager at Acacia Meadows, started her career in escrow before transitioning to Veterans Affairs, where she helped secure home loans for veterans. From there, she found her way to affordable housing.

“My grandmother owned eight units, and I grew up living in and working on those properties,” Jasmine shares. “At one point, I thought I’d become a real estate agent or broker, but life happened—kids, responsibilities—and that dream took a backseat. But property management found me anyway.”

Jasmine officially entered the field in 2007, volunteering with her grandmother before expanding her skills by helping family friends and local communities. When the pandemic hit, she took on various temporary roles in housing, quickly gaining expertise in compliance and affordable housing laws. Now, at Sterling, she brings her years of experience and passion for helping people navigate housing. “I enjoy helping people—it’s what I feel I was put on this earth to do,” she says.

Tannia Bobadilla, Assistant Manager at Acacia Meadows, is also driven by a desire to help residents.

“I work with single mothers, single fathers, families, elderly residents—so many people looking for one-bedroom homes. And they’re so grateful,” she says. “Sometimes, they’ll come back to me and say, ‘Can I give you a hug again?’ It’s the kind of thing that happens weekly, and I absolutely love it.”

While most people might think that paperwork is one of the most tedious parts of any job, Tannia says it’s her favorite thing to do. “I love helping people, and I also love paperwork,” she says. “I know that sounds strange, but it’s my thing. That’s always been my edge.”

New Communities on the Horizon

In September 2024, Sacramento County announced an exciting collaboration with Sutter Capital Group, CHOC Impact, and Sterling Asset Management, directly addressing the region’s pressing need for affordable housing.

This innovative project entails transforming a former Marriott Residence Inn into a community offering 80% AMI (Area Median Income) units, with 32 of those units designated as permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless residents.

The Residence Inn will be different than traditional permanent supportive housing in that residents will be prioritized based on ‘housing readiness’ through their stay at the scattered site program and connectivity to client-based supportive services through existing programs, such as Behavioral Health Services (BHS) and the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM).

The City and County of Sacramento have long been experiencing a housing crisis. By repurposing existing buildings instead of developing new ones from scratch, this project allows the County to fast-track much-needed housing solutions as part of its larger strategy to combat homelessness.

Efficiency That Puts Residents First

Under Tanya’s lead, Sterling is focused on making affordable housing management as seamless as possible. That can range from simplifying compliance paperwork to implementing new digital tools and software.

That’s where Lawrence Williams comes in. As the Director of Software and Talent Development, he brings nearly two decades of experience in property management to his role. His goal is to make processes easier, faster, and more accessible for both staff and residents.

“With affordable housing, you get to have an impact on people's lives—people who really need that kind of positive impact,” he says. “Home is supposed to be a safe, secure space, but for lower-income individuals, that’s not always the case. It may be too expensive, they may be living paycheck to paycheck, and their jobs may be less secure.”

Right now, Lawrence’s main focus is expanding resident-facing online tools, such as online payments, certifications, and work orders. The goal is to give residents more ways to engage with on-site teams, while also reducing paperwork for staff, making their jobs easier as well.

“Being able to work on programs that support [residents] so they can have that home experience – something many people take for granted – really means a lot to me.”

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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.