Sacramento Mutual Housing Association
916.453.8400

Mission and Overview

"The mission of Sacramento Mutual Housing Association (SMHA) is to develop and operate permanently affordable housing that builds strong and stable communities through resident participation and leadership development."

In 2007, SMHA substantially expanded its ability to meet the region's affordable housing needs by extending its reach to new projects in Yolo and San Joaquin counties; through continued progress on its first single-family home development and first homeless housing project; and by adapting its financial education services to meet the unexpected need of homeowners facing foreclosure.

Also in 2007, in a broader effort to preserve housing for low-income people, SMHA continued organizing efforts to convince the Sacramento City Council to make its rental housing inspection pilot program a mandatory, city-wide ordinance, helping secure passage of the city's first substantive ordinance in early 2008.

SMHA owned and operated 648 affordable homes in 11 mutual housing communities, housing more than 2,150 low income residents. Through a unique leadership development and resident volunteer program, these communities served as more than safe and attractive housing for their residents - they became anchors in the low-income neighborhoods in which they are located. On-site financial education classes, computer labs, and leadership development and youth programs served hundreds of mutual housing residents in neighborhoods throughout the City and County of Sacramento, as well as homeowners and renters in the surrounding neighborhoods. Community watch groups sponsored by SMHA and staffed by resident volunteers helped to decrease crime and increase community awareness of safety issues.

Major funding partners in 2007 included NeighborWorks® America, Bank of America, Sierra Health Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, James Irvine Foundation, and Sacramento County First Five Commission.

2007 Program Highlights

In 2007, Sacramento Mutual Housing Association strengthened and initiated a number of programs to further its goals of providing safe and affordable housing, revitalizing communities, and developing resident leaders. Some of our more significant 2007 program accomplishments are detailed below.

In 2007, SMHA generated nearly $1.7 million in private and public capital investment for construction of high quality residential housing. Since its inception in 1988, SMHA has generated approximately $60,000,000 in private and public capital investment in low-income communities. We continue to build and develop a variety of housing products in a wide geographic area. Project accomplishments include:

• Donner Field, a 20 single-family homes in Oak Park: Resolved major infrastructure issues, adapted to changing market conditions, and secured a land donation and financial commitment from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.
• The Westerner, a 47-space mobile home park: In the Sacramento community of North Laguna Creek, continued major infrastructure improvements in collaboration with the City of Sacramento.
• Freedom Park Drive, permanent housing for the homeless: Continued predevelopment activities for an affordable multifamily project in North Highlands that will provide 66 units of permanent supportive housing for homeless and chronically homeless individuals with disabilities.
• New Harmony, multi-family housing in Davis: Began development of a 70-unit new construction development in partnership with Yolo Mutual Housing Association, to include green building techniques and energy efficiency measures.
• San Joaquin expansion: Collaborated with the City of Tracy to begin modernizing and consolidating the scattered site affordable housing properties in that city.
• Anatolia, inclusionary housing in Rancho Cordova: Began working closely with the City of Rancho Cordova to develop a 70-unit multifamily project for larger families.
• Local rental inspection ordinance: Continued leadership and advocacy in support of a proposed ordinance to require inspections of all rental housing properties in the city of Sacramento, using funding secured from the James Irvine Foundation. The ordinance was passed in early 2008.

Leadership Development

In 2007, SMHA sought out, recruited and provided programs in the art of leadership, offering a variety of programs in several languages -- Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Mien and Russian. Accomplishments include:

• Training more than 400 people with leadership potential and drive who live or work in low income neighborhoods, helping them learn to build multi-cultural organizations, organize their communities and perform vital outreach.
• Training more than 90 organizational leaders in the principals of asset-based community development.
• Helping more than 80 leaders make direct contact with decision makers to present issues and collaborate on solutions through meetings, advocacy and media events.
• Providing office space in a mutual housing community to a Mien service group in Lemon Hill for senior and youth activities, as well as leadership development.

SMHA continued its commitment to safe neighborhoods by helping mutual housing residents build stronger relationships with law enforcement and sustain their own Community Watch programs. Staff organizers also work closely with residents to plan weekend events for youth that offer safe, alternatives social activities.

In 2007, SMHA sponsored more than 200 community meetings and events in low income neighborhoods, including:

• Community watch groups and property management committees
• Homework clubs and youth recreation committees and events
• Multi-cultural communication workshops
• Gatherings for seniors
• Holiday parties and other special events
• Financial education and computer courses

Through our Individual Development Account matched savings program, SMHA supported five low-income households in saving a combined $5,930 in 2007. Two of these families were able to purchase homes with the help of the matched savings, and the rest continue to save on a regular basis. Other education highlights:

• Trained 100 low income people in five installments of a six-week financial education training series.
• Mobilized to become a local leader in foreclosure intervention and counseling for homeowners, through staff training and building local partnerships.
• Activated a foreclosure information hotline to provide Vietnamese, Hmong, Mien, Russian and Spanish speakers with foreclosure intervention tools and resources.
• Chosen by Sacramento Region Community Foundation to be the demonstration site for a community digital inclusion project, offering free wi-fi service for all housing units at Victory Townhomes and Evergreen Estates, an opportunity to purchase very low cost home computers, and on-site technology training.

• Received the first of two $100,000 installments from the Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Award.
• Received a three-year funding contract from the Sierra Health Foundation as the lead agency of the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders, to improve long-term outcomes for youth ages 10-15 in the Lemon Hill neighborhood.
• Secured a commitment of $244,453 from Sacramento County First Five Commission to open four new urban farm stands over the next two years, in cooperation with Alchemist Community Development Corporation.
• Received a commitment of $100,000 from The California Wellness Foundation to help fund the urban farm stand project.

These program accomplishments were carried out by resident volunteers concerned about their neighborhoods and homes, a 15-member professional staff aided by interns from local universities, and a volunteer board of directors. The effectiveness of our programs in 2007 was enhanced by new collaborations with private business, schools, religious and community institutions, other nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.