CVHC NEWS

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Summer 2024

Pedro S. G. Rodriguez

Executive Director

Saludos (Greetings) from beautiful Coachella Valley!



I hope your summer has been a little cooler than ours. It has been incredibly hot in our neck of the woods. We are pleased to report that our single family production is going very well with 20 houses completed in the city of Brawley and another 103 houses in construction in the city of Imperial and Brawley, CA. We assisted two groups of 10 (Brawley 4, and 5) hard working families in the city of Brawley, CA become new homeowners. We held our first annual Staff Volunteer Day in the month of April. CVHC staff travelled to Brawley, CA to collaborate with our Mutual Self Help construction supervisors to assist families with the painting of their houses. We celebrated home ownership week with our funder NeighborWorks America. We also recognized the month of June as USDA-RD’s National Homeownership month. We held a very touching grand opening ceremony for Brawley Group 5’s families with USDA-RD representatives Maria Gallegos-Herrera CA State Director, local USDA-RD Staff, a representative from State Senator Steve Padilla, District 18, members of the board of Directors of CVHC, and staff members of CVHC Single Family department.

Our Multifamily Development team completed a major milestone with the completion of Vista Sunrise II Apartments, 61 units of housing for people with special needs. We have started the lease up in June 2024 and hope to be completed by August 2024. We submitted three applications for funding to the CA Tax Credit Allocation Committee for three multifamily developments in our pipeline.

Our Community Engagement team kept our residents busy during this summer by continuing to work together with our partners to provide monthly Resource Fair/ Mobile Health Clinic at our east Coachella Valley multifamily developments. We had a community event at our Coyote Run I and II apartments to bring together the residents of these communities. Multiple hiking trips for our residents were held during the last three months in collaboration with Friends of the Desert Mountains. We had an opportunity to host the FIELD’s (Farmworkers Institute of Education) EPIC de Cesar Chavez High School Graduation, and witness nineteen (20) students receive their High School Diploma, and CET Certificate. These GED courses are offered at our multifamily apartments free of charge to the participants. We also awarded $26,000 in JFM Scholarships to twenty six deserving college students that reside in CVHC’s multifamily/single family developments. Our Resource Development team continues to seek financial support for our resident services programs.

Como Siempre (as always), we thank our staff, board of directors and all our financial supporters and friends for their commitment to improving the living conditions of the hard working low income individuals and families that we serve



With Gratitude,

PSGR 

A total of 20 families completed their homes between April – June, Brawley group 4 (10 families) moved in on April 30^th, Brawley group 5 (10 families) moved in on June 28^th.

On June 20^th, 2024, CVHC celebrated National Homeownership Month and presented ten hardworking families in Group 5 of the Latigo Ranch project (Brawley) with their keys.  To celebrate the occasion the families and CVHC staff were joined by Maria Gallegos Herrera, CA State Director USDA-Rural Development; Larissa N. De la Torre, District Representative for Senator Steve Padilla, District 18; Patty Coronado, Single Family Housing Regional Coordinator USDA-Rural Development; Juan Munoz, CVHC Board President; Gordon Countryman, CVHC Board Member; and Pedro S.G. Rodriguez, Executive Director/CEO.

In the mutual self-help housing program homes are built in part by homeowners, families work together and collectively build each other’s homes by using their sweat equity in place of a down payment. Mutual self-help housing is accomplished through technical assistance, training and supervision provided by the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition and with permanent financing through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. Since 1989, CVHC has been helping families fulfill their dream of homeownership. Mutual self-help housing essentially builds communities based on a shared commitment of hard work, mutual support, and lifelong bonds. To date, over 2,150 single-family homes have been constructed throughout Riverside and Imperial counties.

Celebrating NeighborWorks Week

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition has highlighted the way our community is made stronger with support from @neighborworks. Coachella Valley Housing Coalition is proud to be part of the NeighborWorks network and appreciates their support! Thanks to NeighborWorks, its network and residents, we are empowering our communities for success! Helping individuals and families fulfill their dream of homeownership throughout the Riverside and Imperial Counties. From affordable housing to community development, and empowering communities across the Riverside and Imperial counties.

The Vista Sunrise II Apartments completed construction in May 2024 bringing CVHC's total multifamily housing unit count to 2,960. This project includes 61 units designed for special needs, with 31 units being set aside for chronically homeless individuals. Each of these 31 units is fully furnished and supplied with basic daily necessities to provide a welcoming space for those in need. Residents began moving in June 2024 and occupancy is currently at about 50%.

All residents have access to the development's community building that includes a computer station, educational software, and Internet access. The community room is also equipped with a demonstration kitchen where residents can participate in the presentation and demonstration of healthy food as well as domestic healthy cooking recipes or techniques. Residents are also able to use this space for social gatherings or meetings. The property is designed to offer an abundance of outdoor living and meeting opportunities such as an open courtyard, a rooftop viewing deck and various corridor balconies. Formal outdoor recreation areas include greenspace for recreation and social gatherings, a dog park, and sitting areas.

Located to the south of the DAP healthcare facilities, the residents have access to DAP's wealth of healthcare and educational services including nearby access to onsite clinic and pharmacy, and access to social services and medical services such as case management, mental health, nutritional educational, yoga, and legal counseling. In conjunction, Riverside University Health System-Behavioral Health (RUHS) is providing access to supportive services and linkage to other programs with the help of an onsite case manager for all NPLH residents.

Resource Fair/Mobile Clinic

Coyote Run I & II Community event

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition in partnership with We Are One United and Hyder property management organized a community event that took place on May 3, 2024. Families of Coyote Run I & II apartments came out to enjoy food, music, games, arts & crafts, jumper castle, and participate in raffles prizes. There were around 250 residents of all ages that came out and interacted with their fellow neighbors. A group of teenage residents were grateful and said “Thank you for doing this event. We really had fun; hope you can do it again.”

Summer Hikes

In partnership with Friends of the Desert Mountains (FODM), CVHC had the opportunity to provide four (4) events for 80 residents from ten (10) sites from - Paseo De Los Heroes II, & III in Mecca, Las Casas I, II, & III Apartments in Coachella, Villa Hermosa I, II, & III Apartments in Indio, and Coyote Run I & II Apartments in Palm Springs, to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway for a family outing.

For this event, FODM covered the expenses for the transportation, entrance fees, and lunch boxes. The residents were gifted a backpack with items they were able to use during their trip. The purpose of this trip through the park was an educational lecture, and a unique outdoor experience. While promoting wellness in the outdoors, and family bonding. It was the first time for all of the families visiting the Palm Springs Tramway.

CVHC has multiple scholarship opportunities that encourage secondary education for children of our residents.

This year the JFM Scholarship program awarded 26 applicants a scholarship to help them with their tuition, books and other expenses for the 2024-2025 school year. A total of $26,000 in scholarships was awarded. These future community leaders are attending prestigious colleges, universities and numerous schools across the country.

The scholarship fund awards scholarships annually to students who reside in affordable housing communities developed by CVHC, who are pursuing undergraduate higher education at any accredited college, university or vocational school. To date, nearly a million dollars in scholarship funds have been awarded, benefiting more than 800 students.

In 2002, the Board of Directors and Employees of CVHC established the JFM College Scholarship Fund Program, in honor of CVHC’s founding and retired Executive Director, John F. Mealey. 



Please click below to support the JFM Scholarship, afterschool and music and art programs! 

The Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) mourns the passing of one of its founding board members and former board of directors President Mr. Thomas Plonski. Through his involvement in the humble beginnings of CVHC we were able to purchase the land where our first multifamily development sits today. The Pueblo Nuevo Apartments, the first 50-unit farmworker housing in the city of Coachella. Mr. Plonski donated his Real Estate Agent commission to CVHC so we could have funds to operate the organization. We were blessed to have Mr. Plonski attend our 40th Anniversary celebration in 2022 where he shared some of his fond memories of CVHC.

Muchas Gracias Tom for your commitment and dedication to high quality affordable housing for farmworker families in the Coachella Valley.



With Gratitude CVHC’s Board of Directors and Staff

Meet Jessica Gonzalez

Receptionist

Jessica brings with her many years of customer service experience and will make a huge contribution to our team. Jessica was born and raised in Chino Ca, she has been in the desert since 2010. When outside of work she enjoys spending time with her children and traveling. She’s excited to be part of the CVHC Team.

Staffs Promotions

Mariah Erving, has been working with CVHC for over a year and in that time has demonstrated her commitment to CVHC’s mission as well as a desire to grow with the organization and in the Multifamily department. She has been promoted to MF Assistant Project Manager.

Employment Opportunities

Housing Counselor

The Housing Counselor promotes CVHC's mission through financial empowerment of families desiring homeownership and building the capacity of families and individuals to meet their housing and financial goals. 

Asset Management Specialist

The Asset Management Specialist assists in the functions of the Asset Management Department by providing assistance with the preparation, review, and follow-up on the different reports generated by the department. Assists in the timely preparation and filing of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports to the respective regulatory agencies, investors, lenders, and others as required. 

Development Staff Account

The Development Staff Accountant will be responsible for coordinating and performing the Single and Multifamily Accounting related functions of the organization. The Development Staff Accountant will ensure timely processing of accounts payable, cash receipts, financial reports and special reporting requirements associated with the Single and Multifamily developments during construction and operating activities. This position will also assist the Asset Management team working in collaboration with members of that team on various projects.

Qualified individuals should send a resume and application to The Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, 45-701 Monroe Street, Suite G, Indio, CA 92201, or via fax to 760-342-6466, or via email to Melissa.Evans@cvhc.org

An offer of employment may be subject to background, reference and credit checks. EOE/AA

Funding News

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition

45701 Monroe Street, Suite G, Indio, CA 92201

Tel. (760) 347-3157   www.cvhc.org