The Grove

Imagine being a single parent, working hard to provide for the family and struggling with child care costs. Or having a large family where both you and your spouse work but are still unable to make high rent payments. Or settling for unsafe or rundown housing. Or being a child in a family of five . . . with no place to live.

True to its philosophy, CHD envisioned a development that would meet the specific needs of households like these. It wouldn’t be enough just to build housing. CHD wanted to create a community focused on the family unit. Among other things, the needs of working parents needed to be addressed by the solution.

And they were. In October 1993, CHD opened The Grove. With 40 two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, this development not only provides quality housing for large, low-income families in the San Jose community, but also on-site child care facilities. In addition, English language classes and courses in financial management, job-seeking skills and AIDS awareness are offered at the facility.

Parents who reside at The Grove have the security of knowing that their children are being cared for in a safe community while they are at work. And like all other CHD developments, The Grove is perfectly integrated into the surrounding San Jose community.

Based on the Housing Needs Assessment estimates (San Jose Housing Department), in 1988 there were approximately 10,300 such families in San Jose paying more than 30% of their income for housing. Nearly one-third were headed by single parents. The profile of the family has certainly changed over the last decade:

Both parents work in 80% of two-parent families

Mothers with children under three years of age make up the fastest growing segment of the labor force

The number of single-parent families has doubled in the last ten years.

For Community Housing Developers, these were more than just mere statistics. Seventy-five percent of all its referrals were large families and single-parent households. With high rents and low incomes, these families found it hard to keep up with basic living and childcare costs.

With the warm community, housing and special services, The Grove is a model for other housing developments. There is no reason why families and single parents need to suffer from the high cost of rent. And at The Grove, they don’t have to.

The Grove is located across the street from The Meadows, a CHD senior residence built in 1992. Seniors at the Meadow are connected with The Grove’s families by volunteering for childcare services and sharing community events and services, creating a complete, inter-generational community.

Date Opened:	October 1993	Location:	Battle Dance Drive, San Jose
Financing:	California Department of Housing and Community Development (Proposition 84) and San Jose Housing Development	Tenants:	Large families and single parents
Size:	40 two-, three-, and four- bedroom family-sized apartments