History
Our History
Service - The Seed For Growth
The Early Days
The Orange County Community Housing Corporation (OCCHC) was founded in 1977 by persons involved in a countrywide housing task force committed to solving the region's shortage of housing for many of our lower wage earners. These leaders met with public officials to ensure that federal Community Development Block Grant funds were administered for maximum benefit to very low-income families.
As a result of these meetings, the leadership agreed to create an independent , non-profit corporation to administer the community-based program. Today, this organization is OCCHC.
Leadership in the early years included Richard Friedman, retired Deputy Director and Chief Counsel of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, Manny Mendez, architect, Elsie Kroeshe, League of Women Voters, Mary Miller, League of Women Voters, Bob Johnson, author and microfilter engineer, Gloria Lopez, Colonia Independencia representative, Vicente Mas, Orange County planner and Ralph Kennedy, an urban planner with the Fair Housing Council.
Since that time, OCCHC has developed over 200 units of housing affordable to very low-income families in the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Buena Park, Cypress, Placentia, Newport Beach, and Dana Point. Most of these apartments are owned and managed by OCCHC. The corporation's assets exceed $15 million.
OCCHC - More Than a Builder
OCCHC is more than just a builder of housing for very low income families. Our mission is to create stability for these families through the vehicle of affordable and decent housing. Secure housing helps families establish stable productive lives to ensure the future for their children...and our future as well..
OCCHC is different that other rental housing developers in that we continue to own and manage the properties we build...for the life of the properties. This guarantees that the investment results in permanent affordability and quality management.
Although OCCHC is a non-profit corporation, we are managed by skilled professionals with decades of experience in the building and property management industry.
Professionalism is key to every aspect of our business-from the way we manage projects and work with city partners to our track record of delivery projects on time and on budget. OCCHC's board members also are professionals in real estate and related fields and demand the highest quality and performance from our staff and projects.
To Build and Serve is our Motto. It is a simple, clear mission that will guide our growth and success for decades to come.
