Affordable housing development is ultimately about creating communities, but it also requires organizations with the capacity, talent, and infrastructure to meet California’s enormous housing needs. CCAH Boardmember Jimmy Silverwood, of Affirmed Housing, understands that need and is investing in the company’s future with both the relocation of its longstanding Bay Area office and the upcoming ribbon cutting of its new corporate headquarters in San Diego. These investments reflect a long-term commitment to serving communities throughout California and delivering the affordable homes that families need.
The Oakland office strengthens Affirmed Housing’s presence in Northern California while building on the company’s longstanding presence in the Bay Area. After many years with an office in San Jose, Affirmed relocated its Bay Area operations to Oakland to better align its workplace with where members of its Northern California team live and to create a more centrally accessible location for employees throughout the region. Oakland’s proximity to a number of comparatively more affordable surrounding jurisdictions also makes the location accessible to a broader range of team members. As demand for affordable housing continues to grow across the state, the relocation helps support the company’s development and preservation efforts.
“Relocating our Bay Area office to Oakland is an important step in strengthening our presence in Northern California,” said Alicia (Ali) Gaylord, Senior Vice President, Northern California. “The Bay Area and the rest of Northern California continue to face tremendous housing needs, and being embedded in the communities we serve allows us to build stronger partnerships and identify new opportunities to create and preserve affordable housing. We’re excited about this next chapter for our Northern California team and to continue investing in the future of communities throughout the region.”
At the same time, Affirmed Housing is celebrating an exciting milestone in San Diego with the completion of its new headquarters. After many years in Sabre Springs, the company outgrew its previous space and pursued a location that really showed their vision. They developed their new HQ adjacent to SkyLINE, one of Affirmed’s newest transit-oriented developments. The office was designed by Affirmed Housing’s own Yvonne DeCarlo in partnership with longtime collaborator Carrier Johnson + Culture and is meant to support the company’s continued growth. The building features an open-concept design filled with natural light, expanded meeting areas, and outdoor gathering spaces intended to encourage connection, creativity, and teamwork.
“Our new headquarters is a reflection of our growth, our culture, and our long-term commitment to California.” said Silverwood. “We envisioned a space that would bring our team together, encourage collaboration, and support the innovative thinking required to address the state’s housing challenges. Developing our own office alongside the SkyLINE community was an ambitious goal and seeing that vision become reality is a proud milestone for our entire organization.”
In many ways, the new headquarters represents the evolution of a company that has become one of California’s most respected affordable housing developers. Over the years, Affirmed Housing has helped create over 75 communities that have housed over 15,000 families while demonstrating that thoughtful design, strong community partnerships, and mission-driven development can transform neighborhoods throughout the state. What makes these investments especially noteworthy is what they say about the future. At a time when California faces a severe housing shortage and affordability challenges continue to affect families across every region, organizations like Affirmed Housing are expanding their capacity rather than pulling back. In fact, Affirmed Housing has had a record year in 2026, with approximately 1,000 new affordable homes beginning construction across California. The relocated Oakland office and San Diego headquarters position the company to continue pursuing innovative housing solutions and tackling increasingly complex development opportunities.
CCAH congratulates the entire Affirmed Housing team on these important milestones. We look forward to celebrating the ribbon cutting of the new headquarters and seeing the positive impact these investments will have on communities throughout California for years to come. Together, the relocation of Affirmed’s Bay Area office to Oakland and the new San Diego headquarters reflect the company’s continued investment in its statewide presence, building on more than 30 years of affordable housing development in the State as well as more than two decades of development in the Bay Area.