First Community Housing

Casa Feliz Studios Receives Boston AIA Clancy Award

fchstaff — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:50:57 +0000

The Boston Society of Architects/AIA honored Casa Feliz Studios with a 2011 John M. Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing. Rob Wellington Quigley, FAIA was the architect for this LEED NC Gold certified building. Casa Feliz Studios provide 60 affordable, energy-efficient units (efficiencies) with private bathrooms and kitchens on this infill site located near transit services. The building is four stories with one level of parking below, and has many sustainable features, and includes a living roof. Thirty-five percent of the units are set aside for residents with developmental disabilities.

The John M. Clancy Award for Socially Responsible Housing was
established in 2004 by the principals of the Boston architecture firm
of Goody Clancy to recognize and honor the decades of creative
commitment John Clancy FAIA brought to the planning, design and
construction of multifamily housing for the diverse populations of
our nation at all income levels.

With an unusually profound level of care and respect for those
intended to occupy his housing projects, Clancy significantly
influenced the design of successful housing for low- and moderate-
income communities. At the request of Goody Clancy, the program is
administered by the Boston Society of Architects / AIA.

Boston AIA 2011 Clancy Award

FCH Receives Acterra’s Business Environmental Award for Sustainability

fchstaff — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:25:38 +0000

Craig Gardens raised garden beds

First Community Housing (FCH) received Acterra’s 2011 Business Environmental Award in the category of Sustainability for a small organization. The award was received in part due to the FCH commitment to sustainable development which includes three USGBC LEED™ NC Gold certified projects in operation, including a 60-unit studio project supporting the area’s first living roof.

Acterra’s Business Environmental Awards is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s oldest and most prestigious environmental recognition programs. Initiated in 1990, it is considered a heavyweight among award programs due to its rigorous application and judging process. “Our awardees must demonstrate their environmental commitment and achievements through a careful vetting process,” states Board President Laura Teksler. “In addition to a thorough written application, the top contenders must demonstrate their programs’ merits firsthand to the judges during a visit to the applicants’ facilities. By the time they are selected to receive our award, they have truly proven that their programs are “setting the bar” in corporate environmental leadership.”

“First Community Housing was pursuing green standards in buildings long before LEED came to the forefront. Some of FCH’s most remarkable sustainability features include: creating a unique sustainable facilities manager position to oversee compliance and institutionalize the culture of green operation & maintenance in a traditionally high-turnover workforce… and implementing a comprehensive green purchasing policy that favors local, sustainable vendors. We applaud FCH for truly raising the sustainability bar in the public housing development sector and beyond.” -Christine Kohl-Zaugg, Judging Committee Chair, Business Environmental Awards.

View the video on YouTube, FCH Acterra 2011 BEA.

Governor Names Casa Feliz Studios Winner of 2010 Top Environmental Leadership Award

fchstaff — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:53:53 +0000

Governor Schwarzenegger announced that First Community Housing’s Casa Feliz Studios of San Jose has won the 2010 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for its Sustainable Facilities Program.

GEELA is the California’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor. The award program recognizes individuals, organizations and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership for voluntary achievements in conserving California’s resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, and building public-private partnerships.

“This honor recognizes First Community Housing’s commitment to developing socially responsible and environmentally friendly practices that promote environmental protection and economic growth,” said Gary Schoennauer, FCH Board Chairman. “FCH has shown a strong commitment to protect our community’s natural resources and environment for generations to come.”

http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Awards/GEELA/2010/default.htm

Casa Feliz Studios Receives Home Depot Foundation 2010 National Award of Excellence

fchstaff — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:48:24 +0000

The Home Depot Foundation has presented First Community Housing with its national Award of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly for the Casa Feliz Studios development. FCH was the winner in the Rental-Housing category and was presented with their award at the GreenBuild International Conference & Expo sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council in Chicago, IL on November 18, 2010.

The award comes with a $75,000 grant that will be used to help support Casa Feliz Studios’ management staff salaries so that they can oversee and house 60 low-income individuals, 35% of whom are developmentally disabled, in a safe, attractive, light-filled environment.

“We believe that healthy, affordable homes are the cornerstone of strong families and thriving communities,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot Foundation. “The Casa Feliz Studios project completed by First Community Housing demonstrates that by following the principles of energy efficiency and using good quality products and finishes, families can reap the benefits of lower monthly utility costs and healthier surroundings. We are confident that the work done by First Community Housing will serve as a model for all developers.”

Home Depot Foundation Affordable Housing Winners

Or, view the video on YouTube, Casa Feliz Studios HDF award.

Notes on a Green Portfolio

First Community Housing — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:34:04 +0000

View Executive Director Jeff Oberdorfer’s 2010 CRA presentation on Developing a Green Affordable Housing Portfolio

2010 CRA Conference.pptx

Search for Affordable Housing

First Community Housing — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:31:22 +0000

Search for affordable housing in Santa Clara County, visit www.scchousingsearch.org.

Second Street Studios

First Community Housing — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:11:02 +0000

First Community Housing is proposing to build 134 energy-efficient studio and one-bedroom apartments at the corner of South Second Street and Keyes Street over ground-level retail. Thirty-five percent of the units will be set aside for the developmentally disabled population and those who require in-home services.

Rob Wellington Quigley, FAIA is an award-winning architectural firm that designed the building. The current plan includes 11,211 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, with on-site parking for customers, employees, and residents. The building, which incorporates a living roof, is registered in the LEED for Homes Mid-rise pilot program and is expected to receive a LEED Gold or Platinum certification.

Second Street Studios will showcase innovative, green building materials and systems developed in Silicon Valley. The US Green Building Council’s LEED certification program rewards buildings that use “regional materials” which it defines as building materials or products that have extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the site. The Second and Keyes building will focus more specifically on the influence and innovation of the Silicon Valley.

Local participating companies include:

Akeena Solar
Serious Materials
Integrity Block

Amenities will include:

On-site manager and maintenance staff
Laundry facilities
Community room and lounges
Computer lab
Gym with workout equipment
Landscaped open spaces
Ground-floor shops and restaurants
Each unit will have Internet access
Located adjacent to transit
Free annual transit pass (Eco Pass) for Santa Clara County transit

Many green-building features, including:

Energy-efficient windows
Photovoltaic electricity
Healthy indoor air quality
Living roof
Green screen planted wall

Villa Montgomery Apartments

First Community Housing — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:23:26 +0000

Villa Montgomery is a 58 unit family apartment complex (efficiencies, one, two and three-bedrooms) which will remain at affordable rents for a period of 55 years.

Fisher Friedman, AIA is the award-winning architectural firm responsible for the design of the development. The building includes 1,250 SF of retail space on El Camino Real. Villa Montgomery was awarded LEED NC Gold certification by the USGBC.

Residential Transit Pass Program – R-Pass

FCH has initiated a pilot residential pass program, the “R-Pass” with the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) which provides residents of Villa Montgomery free annual bus transit throughout San Mateo County. FCH is proud that we had a part in creating this important program for our residents.

Casa Feliz Studios SRO

First Community Housing — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:02:24 +0000

First Community Housing has replaced an aging Single-Room Occupancy development (which had shared bathrooms), and build in its place 60 affordable SRO units with private bathrooms and increased on-site parking.

Casa Feliz is the recipient of a USGBC LEED NC Gold certification. Rob Quiqley Architects, FAIA, is the award-winning, nationally-recognized architectural firm, that designed this building.

On-site supportive services provider serving special-needs residents
On-site manager and maintenance person
Exceeding energy-efficiency requirements by 12%
Energy-efficient windows and extensive use of green building materials
Laundry facility
Community room
Lounge and computer lab with Internet access
“Green living” roof
Eco Passes for all residents for free public transportation
Adjacent to bus line

Housing Choices Coalition (HCC) provides Resident Services Coordination to Casa Feliz residents with developmental disabilities, and facilitates communication between these residents and property management, providing one point of contact for the purposes of continuity and comprehensive communication. This includes a comprehensive marketing and screening process to ensure that appropriate services are in place before a client signs a lease. HCC works with these special needs residents to create a sense of community and to encourage a support network among their neighbors and friends.

Curtner Studios

First Community Housing — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:22:16 +0000

First Community Housing renovated this existing Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) development, increasing the energy-efficiency and adding green building features. Upon completion as a tax-credit property, all 179 units are affordable to low-income individuals for a period of 55 years. OJK Architecture + Planning is the original architect of this building and worked with FCH in the renovation process.

Curtner Studios provides 179 urban suites tailored to single occupancy at 701 Curtner Avenue between Guadalupe Parkway and Almaden Expressway. Curtner Studios is located near retail, restaurants, commercial services, churches, a supermarket, pharmacy, schools, a public library, parks and a medical facility.

Multiple public transportation options are within a couple blocks of the site. The Curtner Light Rail Station and a Park and Ride facility are less than a tenth of a mile away, and the nearest bus stop is located immediately in front of the building. The typical air-conditioned 207SF studio has a simple efficient layout containing a private bathroom and kitchenette with microwave, small refrigerator and garbage disposal.

The common areas include a waiting lounge, computer center, exercise room, vending area, laundry facilities, and a reception/office area. This level also provides access to an outdoor deck.