Creating Awareness for CHOC Monarch’s Waitlist
In May, Community Impact Created Monarch Waitlist Awareness in Coachella Valley
CHOC Community Impact is hard at work. Led by VP Terri Smyth Canillo, our Community Impact division recently traveled throughout Coachella Valley to build awareness regarding The Monarch Apartment Homes waitlist; this waitlist is now closed.
The highly-anticipated community of 60 affordable apartment homes in Palm Springs is one of CHOC’s latest developments. Terri and her Community Impact team, including Juan Pulido and Amahirani Reyes, met with several community organizations in order to drive this regional housing and waitlist awareness.
The Monarch Apartment Homes, which first broke ground in October 2021, is the first new multifamily affordable housing community in Palm Springs in over 12 years. A truly collaborative effort, the creation of this new multifamily affordable housing has involved partnerships across government, nonprofit, and private sectors.
Our Community Impact team distributed more than 300 bilingual (Spanish/English) waitlist flyers to community organizations across Coachella Valley, sharing Monarch’s good news with potential residents where they work, relax, or frequent most often.
Terri and Juan met with partners in the area, nurturing CHOC’s ongoing community relationships in Coachella Valley, with more meetings scheduled in the coming weeks. Our Community Impact team's dedication is demonstrated by this on-the-ground outreach — maximizing positive, enduring impact for our resident communities and communities where CHOC Impact works.
“As in Northern California, our team made incredible connections with multiple Coachella Valley agencies that share our vision for strong, self-sufficient, and stable families,” says Juan. “These new partnerships support and enhance our resident families' lives, helping us provide safe, thriving, and empowered affordable housing communities.”
From transformative projects and partnerships to significant breakthroughs and heartwarming success stories, CHOC Community Impact is committed to sharing a wide range of experiences that showcase the dedication and tangible difference it makes in our communities, in every endeavor.
“Housing is important because it’s a social determinant of health,” says Terri. “It really determines so many outcomes for a family. Having housing that is affordable for everybody is just a basic human right.”
At each community partner meeting, our team shared on how orgs can help their clients prepare for their Monarch Apartment Homes housing interviews. Along with these insights, CHOC Impact also shared Monarch's unit mix, its unique design, and additional Community Impact services available to residents once they’ve moved in.
“I'm grateful to have the opportunity to help build a strong foundation of services and resources that will forever impact the lives of our residents,” says Juan.
Soon after Terri and Juan met with our partners, a story featuring The Monarch’s Waitlist went live on KESQ News Channel 3 - our sincere thanks! This exciting and unexpected media coverage made a tremendous contribution to spreading the word about these soon-to-be-available affordable apartment homes. Huge thanks to Jake Ingrassia and the KESQ news team for covering the story, and for speaking with Joy Silver, CHOC’s Chief Strategy Officer.
Terri and Juan meet at Lift to Rise with Joe Mota, Director of Resident Engagement, Ariana Rodriguez, Resident Engagement Coordinator, and Barrett Newkirk, Communications Director
Community Partners visited by our #CHOCIMPACT team:
Lift to Rise
Olive Crest
HOPE Collaborative of Coachella Valley
Mizell Center
Palm Springs Public Library
Desert Hot Springs Public Library
DAP Health
Riverside County Behavioral Health
“The Monarch project has put the Lift to Rise collective 60 units closer to reaching our goal of building 10,000 new units of affordable housing in the Coachella Valley by 2028,” says Barrett Newkirk, Communications Director at Lift to Rise, one of CHOC’s long-term partners. “This will reduce the number of rent-burdened valley residents by 30%, vastly increasing the stability, safety, and quality of life for a huge segment of our local population.”
Lift to Rise has also kindly shared the news of The Monarch’s Waitlist through social channels and the organization’s monthly email newsletter - our gratitude to Barrett and the greater Lift to Rise organization. Information about the waitlist was also shared with individuals who directly inquired about housing.
Terri and Juan with Nikki Long, Intake Specialist for Olive Crest’s Foster & Adopt Program, and Todd McIntyre, Community Engagement Director of Inland & Desert Communities
CHOC and CHOC Community Impact are grateful for these new community partnerships and look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to create affordable housing communities residents are proud to call home.
Learn more about CHOC Community Impact and follow us on Instagram for more news and our latest updates.
***The CHOC Monarch Apartment Homes Waitlist is now CLOSED***
CHOC appreciates everyone's ongoing interest in Monarch’s multifamily affordable housing for qualified, low-income renters. Please monitor CHOCHousing.org for ongoing CHOC Monarch updates. Please do not call our corporate office to inquire further as there isn’t any additional information that we’re able to offer to interested parties at this time. Your patience is appreciated and the CHOC organization thanks you for your interest in Palm Springs' Monarch Apartment Homes. #HousingIsAHumanRight
About Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC)
Founded in 1984, the Community Housing Opportunities Corporation (CHOC) is a non-profit, affordable housing developer based in Fairfield, California with offices in Palm Springs; we create and manage equitable communities for individuals, families, seniors, and those with special needs. CHOC believes that economically integrated affordable housing is key to self-sufficiency and is achievable with enriching, supportive programs that give pride to residents, stabilize families, and improve local economies. Visit CHOCHousing.org.