Palm Springs Announces Innovative Housing for Working Families

Photo: The Desert Sun

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER, 25, 2018

Project to Advance City’s General Plan & Affordable Housing

(PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA) – Affordable housing for working families will be more readily available thanks to an agreement between the City of Palm Springs and Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC), a non-profit real estate developer.  The families eligible for the housing are those who often serve as the support network for Palm Springs: teachers, caregivers and others who serve and are wage earners.  CHOC, of Fairfield, California, is a non-profit, affordable housing real estate development company whose mission is to build stable, vibrant and healthy communities for families and individuals. The development is planned for property at the Southeast corner of East San Rafael Drive and North Indian Canyon Drive.   The development will be in the Upper West Side Neighborhood. “We are keenly aware of the need to be compatible with the surrounding architecturally treasured neighborhood,” says Vince Nicholas, CHOC’s Vice President of Real Estate Development.  “We intend to build an award-winning complex that will not only complement the neighborhood but will be a source of pride for neighbors and the city.” Mr. Nicholas also says the new development will include sustainable building methods, energy efficiency and water conservation.  “We strive to implement best practices with good design to minimize the carbon footprint,” he says. CHOC will follow California tax credit guidelines for sustainable building methods that include high efficiency lighting, energy saving appliances, low flow toilets and showers, low to zero emitting interior paints, varnishes, cabinetry and carpeting. Other green guidelines will be followed and will be better informed once the design plans are further developed.The Palm Springs project is a new step for CHOC as they expand into the Southern California region. "We are profoundly grateful to have been selected by the City of Palm Springs to undertake this much needed and well-deserved project for the community,” says Manuela Silva, CEO of Community Housing Opportunities Corporation.  “We understand the importance of this project and the gift of opportunity, in partnership with the community, to redefine the paradigm for affordable housing in Palm Springs. We are particularly excited about working closely with our neighbors to deliver a development that respects the built environment and honors the City's commitment to working families." Ms. Silva and Mr. Nicholas say that meetings with community groups will be announced at a later date.

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CHOC, founded in Davis, California, in 1984, has housed thousands of families throughout the Northern California region, from Davis to Sacramento to Woodland.    CHOC’s holistic approach to housing has earned it an award-winning reputation for excellence, both in the design of their buildings and in the sustainable lifestyle they bring to communities. CHOC works to create equitable communities for individuals, families, seniors and for those with special needs.  CHOC believes that affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and is achievable with enriching, supportive programs that give pride to residents, stabilize families and improve local economies.