Community Housing First

First Community Housing (FCH) is a California 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation created to develop, construct, and manage affordable housing for the San Francisco Bay Area. Since its inception, FCH has developed housing for over 1,200 low-income households, with another 500 units in the pipeline. The FCH Development Team is comprised of career professionals focused on the creation of sustainable affordable housing on time and within budget, with extensive experience in developing:

• Family housing • Efficiency apartments • Senior housing • Urban infill developments • Single Room Occupancy (SROs) • Special needs housing • Mixed-use developments • Stand alone inclusionary • Energy conservation rehabs • Workforce housing

ECO-FRIENDLY | FCH strategically locates its developments near public transit and is the largest purchaser of residential Eco Passes. FCH offers free annual Eco Passes to residents to reduce dependence on private cars. These passes allow for free bus and light rail use throughout Santa Clara County. We are proud members of the Green Building Council (USGBC), the Green Affordable Housing Coalition, and an ENERGY STAR® Partner. Global Green featured FCH in a case study on green building, stating that FCH is “demonstrating how an organization can better serve the housing needs of low-income families by making green building a core part of its overall mission, ensuring that its tenants benefit from lower utility bills and healthier living environments.”

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP | FCH was founded in 1986 by David Neale and John Brezzo, both successful developers in San Jose. They created a Board of Directors with a unique set of qualifications – professionals with a direct knowledge of the housing development process and the financial service industry. This unusual depth of knowledge provides a broad perspective on housing issues coupled with a positive approach to problem-solving and the desire to arrive at workable solutions, and is an invaluable asset when building high-quality affordable housing for local communities.

AWARD-WINNING | FCH has won awards for architectural design, as well as property and asset management, and energy efficiency, including:

• GISH APARTMENTS the first multi-family housing development in California to earn LEED™ for Homes Gold certification from the USGBC; the Citation for Excellence in Architectural Design from the AIAEB; and, the 2009 Top 10 National Green Project Award from the AIA Committee on the Environment
• RINCON DE LOS ESTEROS Enterprise Foundation / MetLife national award for “Excellence in Affordable Housing” for property and asset management
• EL PASEO STUDIOS Gold Nugget Merit Award 2004 for Sustainable/Green Project of the Year; 2004 “Excellence in Design” Runner-Up award from Environmental Design + Construction Magazine
• MURPHY RANCH 2005 Award of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly, The Home Depot Foundation; 2003 Flex Your Power Energy Efficiency Award, ranking among the best in the State for innovative energy-saving strategies
• CRAIG GARDENS National Association of Home Builders award for the “Best in Seniors Housing”; 2008 national Enterprise Foundation / MetLife award for “Excellence in Affordable Housing,” property and asset management