Company Overview: Western Community Housing Inc. (“WCH”) is a California non-profit public benefit corporation that was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. WCH also maintains a regional office in Los Angeles, California. WCH’s mission is to provide affordable housing and social service programs to low and moderate income families and seniors residing in affordable rental housing communities.
Our Mission:
Western Community
Housing’s mission is to promote affordable housing and to
provide social services to low-income senior and family
households thereby enhancing their quality of life.
Status:
Shortly after it was founded, WCH partnered with Century Housing Corporation (“Century”) to develop the More Than Shelter for Seniors (now Engage, Inc.) social service program. Since 2002, WCH
Under this program, Century contributed $500,000 for WCH to form, develop and operate a social service program targeted to low-income seniors. As a result, the majority of WCH’s early operations were in the area of social services. Beginning in 2002, WCH began to systematically add to its investments in affordable housing communities. In 2007 WCH added Community Home Builders and Associates as an affiliate. The primary focus has been on the development and acquisition of ownership interests in affordable housing communities located in California.
By partnering with local governments, for-profit developers, lenders, syndicators and corporate investors, WCH and its affiliates currently have an ownership interest in 77 affordable housing communities comprising over 7,000 units as of 3/31/11. (See Affordable Community List.)
Continuing its commitment to social services, WCH provides or oversees services at thirty-seven properties throughout California through direct service and partnering with local non-profit service providers.
Management: WCH is governed by a Board of Directors which supports and directs the company’s nonprofit goals. Board members bring a broad range of expertise to WCH including several members who are leaders in the affordable housing and development industry.
WCH is managed by Graham P. Espley-Jones, President. He oversees all WCH operations, including strategic planning, acquisitions, development, and portfolio management. Other management personnel include Sandra Gibbons, Vice President, Finance and Tax Credits; Leanne Truofreh, Corporate Secretary and Operations Manager; David Collins, In-House Counsel, Martha Cisnersos, Senior Portfolio Manager; Wendy A Yan, Senior Portfolio Manager; G. Scott Gayner, Director of Development, Dianne Russell, Director of Resident Services Barbie Defeo, Compliance and Assistant Secretary. In addition, WCH retains outside professionals to assist the Company in meeting its administrative, operational and compliance requirements.
Membership/Associations:
WCH and
its management personal are active members in associations that
are supportive of the affordable housing. Those associations
include:
Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing
Kennedy Commission
Building Industry Association of Southern California
Under this program, Century contributed $500,000 for WCH to form, develop and operate a social service program targeted to low-income seniors. As a result, the majority of WCH’s early operations were in the area of social services. Beginning in 2002, WCH began to systematically add to its investments in affordable housing communities. In 2007 WCH added Community Home Builders and Associates as an affiliate. The primary focus has been on the development and acquisition of ownership interests in affordable housing communities located in California.
WCH is governed by a Board of Directors which supports and directs the company’s nonprofit goals. Board members bring a broad range of expertise to WCH including several members who are leaders in the affordable housing and development industry. 