When Lana came to the United States from Vietnam four years ago, everything felt new. She had left her beloved homeland and a good job in global shipping to build a life with her husband Vincent, who had immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam with his family as a teen. Vincent and Lana are now…


Success Stories
Staff Spotlight
July 25, 2023
Jesus Magaña brings a deep understanding of the power and impact of affordable housing to his work at Housing Trust Silicon Valley. As the Finance Manager, he holds seven years of experience in budgeting, forecasting, data analysis, and strategic planning. “As a product of affordable housing, I’m grateful for the work of affordable housing developers…

Success Stories
Empowered by Home: Family of Five Finds Joy in New Gilroy Home
June 28, 2023
Every morning, Crystal goes out to the backyard to play with her kids and enjoy the extra space that their new Gilroy home provides. With the help of the Empower Homebuyers SCC program, she and her husband are the first in their families to own a home. “We love the Bay Area, and we hope…

Success Stories
Vela Apartments Transforms Lives in San José’s Mayfair Community
May 31, 2023
Diane, Frances, and Kimberly have long considered San José their home. But each fell upon hard times and were unhoused for several years before finding a place to call home. Through their own resilience and the help of mission-driven affordable housing developer Affirmed Housing – along with public and private partners – each of their…

Success Stories
Empowered by Home: Twentysomething Homebuyers Purchase Their First Home with $193,500 in Down Payment Assistance!
May 31, 2023
Eric grew up in Redwood City, and Amy lived in San Francisco before they met as students at San José State University. As they envisioned their future together, skyrocketing interest rates and housing costs made homeownership feel far out of reach. But while working in banking together, their director planted a seed that there were…

Success Stories
Welcome Home Westwood Ambassador Neighbors in Santa Clara
December 6, 2022
We were delighted to attend the Grand Re-Opening for Charities Housing’s Westwood Ambassador Apartments in Santa Clara on November 22, 2022. We were proud to support this project with early funding. The highlight of the day was when we met the residents who call this 42-unit, rehabilitated apartment complex home. “I am proud and thankful…

Success Stories
Meet Kimberly and Frances From Vela in San Jose
December 6, 2022
Congratulations to Affirmed Housing and the new residents that call Vela home! We were so honored to meet some of our new neighbors at the grand opening for this beautiful, 87 unit affordable housing development in the Mayfair community of east San Jose. Kimberly, Frances, and their new community are why we do this transformational…

Success Stories
Meet Brenetta from Jordan Court in Berkeley
October 1, 2022
Photo Credit: Supriya Yelimeli This time last year, 71-year-old Brenetta Fisher was living with her daughter in East Oakland and undergoing the last of her radiation treatments for breast cancer. The South Berkeley native had moved out of the city 15 years ago after her rental home was sold. She used to think to herself…

Press Releases, Success Stories
Housing Trust, Kingdom Builders, and BACBO Drive Housing Equity with Innovative Loans
June 7, 2022
Addressing the housing crisis in your own hometown may sound like a daunting challenge. Not for Pastor L.J. Jennings. Born, raised, and proudly immersed in the Oakland community he loves as a church leader and non-profit leader, Pastor Jennings is on a mission to help his neighbors and congregation in need by building affordable housing…

Success Stories
Eden Housing’s Auzerais Apartments – aided by TECH Fund – Celebrates Groundbreaking in San Jose
December 8, 2021
In Spring 2019, Housing Trust’s TECH Fund made what was then the second-largest loan in our history – $13.75 million to help Eden Housing buy a site on Auzerais Avenue that checked all the boxes for what strong and affordable housing should be. Today some of our team took part in the groundbreaking celebration to…