New Home, New Start

Everyone deserves to live in a safe, healthy and beautiful home. We believe quality homes should be in reach for all of the Bay Area’s community members and that despite the many obstacles to providing housing for people with low-incomes and special needs, this goal is possible.

On January 1, 2013, Affordable Housing Associates and Satellite Housing, two of the Bay Area’s leading affordable housing developers, joined forces to provide high quality homes and empowering services to our region’s most vulnerable residents.

And just one year later, The San Francisco Business Times' 2014 Book of Lists ranked SAHA as one the Bay Area’s Top 25 Developers and as the second most prolific among nonprofit developers. Affordable Housing Finance also recognized SAHA as one of the Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers in the nation. SAHA debuted on the list at number 34 and as the country's 11th largest nonprofit developer. Our individual projects also garnered notice, with The Savoy winning the San Francisco Business Times Deal of the Year Award; Jack Capon Villa and Valley Oak Homes winning Gold Nugget Awards of Merit; and The Savoy and Jack Capon Villa, which recently celebrated its grand opening, being named as AHF Readers’ Choice finalists.

During our second year of operation, SAHA has continued to seek opportunities to increase affordable housing for people who need it the most, including:

  • Acquiring a parcel on International Boulevard to construct 32 new family apartments adjacent to our East Side Arts and Housing development;
  • Starting construction on Third Avenue Apartments in Walnut Creek, a 48-unit development serving low income families and adults with developmental disabilities;
  • Receiving  planning approvals for our senior development in American Canyon;
  • Receiving funding commitments for three new projects through the recent State of California TOD and IIG funding rounds.
  • Secured an important funding milestone for Tower Park in Modesto, a 9% tax credit award, which will enable SAHA to begin construction on a housing community for low-income seniors first envisioned nearly a decade ago.

Our current residents are also enjoying the benefits of our growing organization. SAHA’s Resident Services team expanded programming. We've brought transportation service to new properties, enhanced activities at our family properties, leveraged new levels of volunteers, engaged residents in multiple community organizing events, and hosted over 30 holiday events for our residents.

2014 has also brought some big moves toward expanded capacity. We are delighted to welcome Tom Earley into the newly-created role of Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Tom supervises SAHA’s Resident Services, Property Management, Human Resources, and Operations teams. Tom comes to SAHA with more than 23 years of experience in nonprofit management and community design, planning, and development, most recently as BRIDGE Housing’s Senior Vice President, where his focus included divisional and organizational platform building and collaborative interdepartmental work models.

We’re also excited to announce that SAHA will be moving to a new office. Since the merger, SAHA has been operating out of four different locations within a four-block area. The new unified SAHA office will be located in South Berkeley, a short walk from the Ashby BART station and will reflect our vision and values.

Finally, we are delighted to share that the SAHA Board of Directors has elected Francine Williams as our newest board member. Francine is a community and church leader, as well as a SAHA resident. As President of the Valdez Plaza Resident Council, Francine has been a passionate advocate for her fellow residents. She is also an active volunteer with East Bay Housing Organization (EBHO), and the coordinator for National Night Out for the Valdez Plaza neighborhood.

We are so proud of the way the SAHA community has come together as a new organization, creating and preserving beautiful, healthy, affordable housing and providing support for those who need it most. As one of the most active developers in the region, we are aware of our responsibility to the communities we serve and look forward to working with you to promote a diverse, vibrant, and just Bay Area.

Learn more about SAHA’s mission and history, our properties, and the residents who call them home. And we welcome you to join us!