Success Stories

Empowered by Home: From Section 8 Housing to First-Time Homeownership

Michael remembers the days of growing up in section 8 housing in Los Angeles and living on food stamps. His parents, both immigrants from Vietnam, worked hard to provide for their family of five and teach their children the power of perseverance. As the eldest son, Michael became the first in his family to meet…

Newly Funded

Just Funded: Five Projects with EAH Housing

We are excited to share that we recently originated a $3.5 million unsecured revolving line of credit to EAH Housing, which will create more than 400 new affordable homes for our community members in the following counties across the Bay Area: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Monterey County, and Solano County.  The funds…

Updates

In The Media

“To be able to have that access to the agriculture and have the therapeutic time to go work in the garden, or eat produce from the garden, I think that really adds, just, a vibrancy to a community.” – Julie Mahowald, our CFO and Head of Partnerships and Strategy, on the vision behind the Agrihood…

Updates

2023 Annual Report is Live

Our 2023 Housing Trust Silicon Valley Annual Report is hot off the press! It’s been an amazing year, and we are excited to show you what we’ve accomplished together. https://housingtrustsv.org/annualreport/2023/ Take a look and meet the neighbors whose lives have changed as a result of our collective work. People like Issac, who dealt with addiction,…

Updates

Siesta Senior Apartments Grand Opening

It’s a celebration! Siesta Senior Apartments, a beautiful new 92-unit development just outside the City of Sonoma had it’s grand opening and we were thrilled to join in the festivities. Housing Trust Silicon Valley‘s Julie Mahowald, CFO and Head of Partnerships and Strategy spoke at the event and celebrated with the community as vibrancy returns…

Success Stories

Isaac’s Story

Isaac grew up on the same block as Page Street Studios, Charities Housing’s new affordable housing complex located in the West San Carlos Urban Village area. With a smile, he remembers standing at his grandmother’s doorway and peering down the street with his cousins. “Now I’m standing here looking down that way, and it’s kind…

Updates

Congratulations to Julie Mahowald!

Congratulations to Julie Mahowald for being named the Nonprofit CFO of the Year by Larkin Street Youth Services and the San Francisco Business Times. The Housing Trust community benefits from your excellence every day, and we’re so proud of your accomplishments – this is a very well-earned award! Julie was in great company with honorable…

Updates

Read All About it! The latest Housing Trust News is Live!

Read all about it! Our September Housing Trust Newsletter is hot off the press: https://conta.cc/3t89rou! We have a developer partner update, media mentions, and other exciting news! #AffordableHousing #CDFI #Community #HousingforAll

Press Releases

New Updates to the Empower Homebuyers SCC Down Payment Assistance Program

Program offers loan amount of $250,000, up to 30% of the purchase price with no maximum purchase price  San Jose, CA – March 15, 2023 – The County of Santa Clara and Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community loan fund, announced today new updates to the Empower Homebuyers Santa Clara County (SCC) Down Payment Assistance…

Newly Funded, Updates

Newly Funded! 520+ Affordable Homes to be Developed in the Greater Bay Area + More Amazing News

520+ Affordable Homes to be Developed in the Greater Bay Area + More Amazing News Newly Funded Date: Friday, June 17, 2022 Half a billion dollars in loans closed! Housing Trust recently reached this organizational milestone. To date, we have loaned more than $500 million towards the development of affordable homes throughout the greater Bay Area. These investments have…

Veterans Square Images

Press Releases

Apple, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, and Satellite Affordable Housing Associates Announce Grand Opening of Veterans Square

Veterans Square Images

Thirty-Home Development Will Address Housing Availability for Contra Costa County Veterans Pittsburgh, CA – May 11, 2022 – Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community loan fund, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates, and Apple today announced the grand opening of Veterans Square, a 30-home affordable housing development in the Old Town neighborhood of Pittsburg. Located at…

Christine Pezino Joins Housing Trust as Finance Director

Updates

Christine Pezino Joins Housing Trust as Finance Director

Christine Pezino Joins Housing Trust as Finance Director

Housing Trust Silicon Valley proudly welcomes Christine Pezino, who joins us as Finance Director. Her responsibilities will include financial planning and analysis, as well as support for business decisions, strategy, and risk management. Prior to Housing Trust, Christine handled all aspects of finance for a multi-family property management organization. Her previous experience includes 15 years…

Mukhtar Barna Joins Housing Trust as Senior Fund Accountant

Updates

Mukhtar Barna Joins Housing Trust as Senior Fund Accountant

Mukhtar Barna Joins Housing Trust as Senior Fund Accountant

Housing Trust Silicon Valley warmly welcomes Mukhtar Barna, who joins us as Senior Fund Accountant. His responsibilities will include guiding the growth of a fund we are managing on behalf of a large tech company, as well as contributing to Housing Trust’s accounting, analysis, and reporting. Mukhtar speaks six languages. He was the recipient of…

Prathit Thaker Joins Housing Trust as Chief Credit Officer

Updates

Prathit Thaker Joins Housing Trust as Chief Credit Officer

Prathit Thaker Joins Housing Trust as Chief Credit Officer

Housing Trust Silicon Valley warmly welcomes Prathit Thaker, who joins us as Chief Credit Officer. His responsibilities will include leading the credit, risk management, loan administration, asset management, and compliance functions. Prathit is a seasoned executive with 25+ years of depth and breadth of credit risk management, commercial real estate finance and debt capital markets…

Press Releases

Housing Trust Silicon Valley to Join White House Panel on Addressing Supply Constraints in the Housing Market

Virtual Event to Focus on Solutions for Easier Building of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) San Jose, CA – February 1, 2022 – Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community loan fund, today announced its CEO, Noni Ramos, will join senior Biden-Harris Administration officials, local government officials, researchers, financial institutions, and practitioners in a virtual White…

Nazmin Bishop joins Housing Trust as Chief Development & Communications Officer

Updates

Nazmin Bishop joins Housing Trust as Chief Development & Communications Officer

Nazmin Bishop joins Housing Trust as Chief Development & Communications Officer

Today, Housing Trust Silicon Valley welcomes Nazmin Bishop, who joins us as Chief Development and Communications Officer. Nazmin is a Bay Area native who has always loved the richness of the cultural diversity and the innovation and forward thinking of the region. She has been in the fields of Business Development, Marketing, and Communications most…

Shovel Shot of Agrihood

Press Releases

Agrihood Breaks Ground in Santa Clara

Shovel Shot of Agrihood

On the morning of September 15th, 2021, we gathered with a lot of friends and partners for the groundbreaking of Agrihood; a development which will provide 361 new homes – including 181 below-market rate homes for seniors and senior veterans. Read the press release here and see the rendering of the Agrihood project. Agrihood was…

Path Groundbreaking

Success Stories, Updates

Breaking Ground with PATH in San Jose

Path Groundbreaking

This morning we got to see our friends from PATH and attend the groundbreaking celebration of Villas at Fourth Street in San Jose – a project that will bring 93 affordable homes for chronically homeless seniors age 55 and above. Two key collaborations brought us to today: Google, which first invested in our TECH Fund…

Lupita with Housing Trust Sign

Updates

Welcome Lupita – Housing Trust’s First Human Resources Director

Lupita with Housing Trust Sign

Some big news just happened internally: Housing Trust, which has been growing quite a bit in recent years – we only had a staff of three about twelve years ago – just hired our very first Human Resources Director! Please meet Lupita Medina, who has years of experience and leadership in building HR infrastructure, strategic…

Ryan, Teresa and sons

Success Stories

Empowered by Home: Ryan and Teresa’s Story

Ryan, Teresa and sons

When Ryan and Teresa’s landlord told them that the townhome they were renting for seven years was going to be placed on the market, the couple knew it was time to make some big decisions. Their choices were to either move to a new rental and likely pay more for rent, or they could finally…

Housing Trust Logo

Success Stories, Updates

Housing Trust Awarded $1.8 million from U.S. Treasury for COVID-19 Relief

Housing Trust Logo

Today Housing Trust Silicon Valley is proud to announce we are among 863 community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in the U.S. to be awarded funds from the Treasury’s CDFI Rapid Response Program. Our organization secured $1.8 million, which will enable Housing Trust to continue to support affordable housing developments in the greater Bay Area as…

Empower Collage

Updates

For All Neighbors: A Short Update on Empower Homebuyers SCC

Empower Collage

Since Housing Trust started diversity, equity and inclusion work a few years ago, we’ve been trying to do more outward facing efforts for the communities we serve, such as creating fliers in multiple languages for our homeownership/down payment assistance programs, Empower Homebuyers SCC and H.E.L.P. We are proud to take another small step in our…

Acme Apartments

Press Releases, Success Stories, Updates

Affordable Housing Partnership Announces First Three Developments to Build New Homes in Sonoma County

Acme Apartments

The Sonoma County Housing Fund – a collaborative effort between the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber and nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) Housing Trust Silicon Valley – is proud to announce the first three loans for critically needed affordable homes. The three separate developments – Siesta Senior Apartments in Sonoma, Stony Point Flats and Acme…

Tasman paseo Rendering

Press Releases, Updates

Google, Housing Trust Silicon Valley Initiative Investing Nearly $30 Million for Bay Area Affordable Homes

Tasman paseo Rendering

Effort to Aid Short Term and Long-Term Economic Recovery in Region Google and Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community loan fund that works to create a strong affordable housing market in the greater Bay Area, are announcing though their Launch Initiative new loans of approximately $30 million for three Bay Area affordable housing developments…

Woman and son in home

Success Stories

Empowered by Home: Marcela and her Son

Woman and son in home

Sometimes a well penned letter can change things forever. When Marcela and her six year old son first saw the house she would eventually purchase with help from the Empower Homebuyers SCC down payment assistance program, they fell in love. They were also charmed by the neighborhood and the Gilroy community. Marcela made an offer on the…

Murillo Family 2020

Press Releases

Bay Area Down Payment Assistance Program Still Active in Pandemic

Murillo Family 2020

Empower Homebuyers SCC seeks to help up to 50 homebuyers in 2021  SAN JOSE, CALIF – Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community loan fund, is excited to launch the 2021 series of webinars to educate future Bay Area homebuyers about Empower Homebuyers SCC – a down payment assistance program created by the County of Santa…

Down Payment Assistance News for First-Time Homebuyers

Updates

Down Payment Assistance News for First-Time Homebuyers

Down Payment Assistance News for First-Time Homebuyers

On December 16th, the homeownership team gave the last presentation of 2020 for Empower Homebuyers SCC – the down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers created by the County of Santa Clara.  When the first Shelter In Place order was given in mid-March, the team pivoted from in-person workshops to online – making 26 online…

Veterans Square rendering

Newly Funded, Press Releases

Satellite Affordable Housing Associates to Bring Homeless Veterans Home in Contra Costa County

Veterans Square rendering

Support from Apple, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Chase, and other local players will help create needed affordable rental housing Virtual groundbreaking celebration scheduled on Veteran’s Day PITTSBURG, CA – Satellite Affordable Housing Associates today announces the groundbreaking for Veterans Square, a 30-home affordable housing development in Pittsburg supporting veterans. A virtual groundbreaking celebration will be…

In the House

Updates

Housing Trust Presents: #InTheHouseHT

In the House

Four weeks from today Housing Trust will be hosting our annual fall event, On the House, and we’d love for you to attend. In the meantime, we invite you to join our new social media campaign #InTheHouseHT. It’s very simple: just post a photo on social media featuring anything in your home you are especially thankful for…

Empower Homebuyers SCC Update

Updates

Empower Homebuyers SCC Update

Empower Homebuyers SCC Update

Our Homeownership team continues to work remotely while finding ways to keep potential homebuyers engaged. In June and July, we held five Empower Homebuyers SCC Zoom webinars and a Lender Training, with about 320 attendees. To change things up and make the informational presentations even more interesting, the team introduced poll questions, which increased engagement…

Black Lives Matter: Moving to Action

Updates

Black Lives Matter: Moving to Action

Black Lives Matter: Moving to Action

Dear Partners, Our entire team is jolted and saddened by the violent and unjust killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others. We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement – just as we stand with our black employees, board members, partners, residents, community members – and implore our neighbors to…

Justin and kids

Success Stories

Empowered by Home: Justin’s Story

Justin and kids

An assistant principal at Branham High School and a single dad, Justin Ponzio dreamed of having a home for his kids – ages five and six – to live and grow. When he found the Empower Homebuyers SCC program in 2019, the trio lived in a rental near a busy frontage road that was far…

Housing Trust’s COVID-19 Response

Updates

Housing Trust’s COVID-19 Response

Housing Trust’s COVID-19 Response

Dear Neighbors and Partners, We believe safe, stable affordable housing opens the door to better lives for everyone. In support of this belief, we carry on our work as a nonprofit lender and our job is to be here for our borrowers and our community – supporting those who require unique and flexible financing to…

Updates

Changing our World, One Corner at a Time

Congratulations to Eden Housing – our long-time developer partners and friends – for celebrating 55 years of providing #AffordableHousing across the Bay Area, and beyond! You have changed so many lives for the better, including the family of our Housing Trust Silicon Valley Finance Manager, Jesus A. Magaña, who grew up in an Eden community…

Updates

Project Destined Affordable Housing Bridge Program Visits Housing Trust Silicon Valley

We had an action-packed day last week hosting Project Destined fellows from the Affordable Housing Bridge Program as they visited Housing Trust Silicon Valley. The program connects diverse college students to nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing leaders and practitioners nationwide. Meeting the students and exploring their passion for the affordable housing industry was super fun,…

Updates

Another Incredible NPH Conference

Looking back at Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California‘s Affordable Housing Conference with full hearts! Thanks to the speakers, fellow attendees, organizers, and sponsors for an incredible event. Our team had a blast! A huge thank you to the @Black Developers Forum for an amazing Jazz Reception – we’re so proud to be part of…

Success Stories

Steve’s Story

Meet Steve! Steve is a native to the Bay Area and found professional success in sales for high tech companies. As a member of the LGBTQ community, he experienced a lot of traumas after losing many friends from the AIDS crisis when he lived in San Francisco. After working in several different markets and traveling…

Success Stories

Ms. Patti’s Story

Meet Ms. Patti! At 70 years old, Ms. Patti still loves to laugh. She is a mother of two, has two grandchildren, and is now one of the newest residents at PATH Villas at 4th Street in San Jose. Her career as a bakery manager was cut short by health issues, including seizures that left…