Affordable Housing for Immigrants

Here at Harmony Communities, it is our goal to provide everyone with safe, sustainable, affordable, and convenient housing. We are particularly passionate about promoting affordable housing options for immigrant communities – one of the largest populations in the state of California. 

The Need for Affordability

According to a recent PPIC study, there are more than ten million first-generation immigrants in California. In fact, California is home to more recent immigrants than any other state. The study notes that in 2016, 27% of California’s population was foreign-born. 

This population feeds a workforce that is critical to the economy of the state – and to the country. According to one source, immigrants make up 82% of workers in farming, fishing, and forestry; 67% of workers in building maintenance; 48% of construction; and 81% of maid and housekeeping services. 

The PPIC study also notes that while immigrants and American-born residents are equally likely to work, first-generation immigrants make less money; in families with foreign-born heads-of-the-household, the 2016 median income was 24% less than that of families with American-born heads-of-household. 

Affordable, safe and convenient housing for immigrants is important for both the welfare of these families as well as for the benefit of the many companies and organizations that rely on their labor.

Unfortunately, affordable and convenient housing options can be hard to come by, especially given the rising cost of rent on the West Coast. According to a recent Census, in California, the median monthly gross residential rent was close to $1,500 a month in 2017. This confirms that California remains among the most expensive places in the nation, making the provision of affordable housing particularly challenging – especially for a large and ever-growing population. 

The Need for Proximity and Support

For our many immigrant communities, affordability alone is not enough. Proximity to employment and/oraccess to public transportation are also important. 

Because many immigrant families also face language barriers, speaking Spanish as their primary language, it is important for them to live in communities that share a common cultural background. Also, according to data released by the Pew Research Center, in 2014, about a quarter of Hispanics lived in multi-generational homes. Pew acknowledged that Hispanic families are growing more rapidly than white families and as such, there is an increased need for housing to accommodate these large families.

Harmony Communities understands the unique needs of our Hispanic residents, and we strive to assist them in any and every way that we can. We employ Spanish-speaking staff in the main offices of our communities with a Hispanic presence and translate all notices, letters, and other resident communications into written Spanish. 

Having Spanish-speaking managers and staff onsite also enables Harmony Communities to assist its Spanish-speaking residents through the loan process. “We hold their hand through the entire process,” says Matthew Davies, CEO of Harmony Communities. “If they can’t get a bank loan, we find a way to fund their home purchase in-house.”

Going above and beyond to help our residents feel at home is what we stand for. It’s what we do.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.