Affordable housing is his life's passion
Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal - Profiles in diversity
by Alison R. G. van Diggelen
Bringing communities together through quality affordable housing is a cornerstone philosophy of developer ROEM Corp. and its president, Robert Emami.
"As a society, we were not taking care of our senior citizens as well as we would like, nor were we taking care of our teachers, firefighters, police officers, and many other moderate income families, especially in the high-priced Silicon Valley," says Mr. Emami.
He created a new affordable housing division for ROEM in 1999. Since then, the company has been garnishing awards and setting new precedents in pioneering the design and high-quality construction for projects that benefit lower-income families.
ROEM has partnered with many government agencies to meet the demand for quality affordable housing and its packages of onsite facilities and services help stimulate a vibrant sense of community among its diverse residents.
"Affordable housing is not onfly his vocation but his passion; he truly cares about the homes he builds and the families who live in them," says Carl Guardino, president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG), a public policy trade association that represents more than 200 major companies.
A leader in both the development and philanthropic sides of the affordable housing sector, Mr. Emami is gaining a reputation for spontaneous generosity.
"Last year, at our annual SVLG lunch, we talked about the important work the Housing Trust (of Santa Clara County) was doing. Later he called me over and made an impromptu $50,000 donation," says Mr. Guardino.
The Housing Trust has received substantial donations and pledges from ROEM over the years, and Maury Kendall, communications manager of the trust, reports that since it was founded in 2001 the trust has distributed $1 billion worth of affordable housing funds, providing over 3,500 new housing units throughout the county.
"ROEM builds attractive housing that's also affordable," Mr. Kendall says. "Promoting affordable housing in our diverse marketplace clearly serves a diverse population and is a community service."
This reputation for building something beyond utilitarian housing units is growing. ROEM's community-oriented designs are market rate quality and often feature commercial, educational and recreational areas that combine the styles and looks of luxury developments, such as Spanish garden-style apartments and Japanese gardens. Public plazas, formal garden courts and health clubs are often integrated in the overall master plan.
Some developments even have built-in free libraries (with books in five languages) and ROEM supports community building with a generous annual resident services budget which covers free after-school homework centers, health, safety and adult education seminars. Offerings also include Tae Kwon Do classes for children; Tai Chi for the seniors, classes in international arts and crafts, and popular ESL (English as a Second Language) classes.
In May, ROEM was presented with a commendation from Mayor Ron Gonzales and Councilmember Nora Campos for establishing thriving communities such as the new Monte Vista Gardens development in San Jose, a transit oriented development with 262 apartment units that was completed in 2001.
But exceptional development is not the only thing that makes ROEM stand out.
"Over time, we have continuously chosen to sponsor events that promote diverse communities," says Mr. Emami. These include the CommUnity Resource Fair, The annual Latinas against Breast Cancer Mother's Day Walk, NAACP, VANG (Vietnamese American National Gala), and projects like Turn Around (a scholarship program for youth who have turned their lives around).
This year, ROEM was also honored with the NAACP "Circle of Friends" Award for its ongoing work in the Restorative Justice Program which helps keep youth out of the juvenile justice system. Rick Callender, President of the San Jose/ Silicon Valley branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), praises ROEM for putting dollars in the program to help level the playing field for everyone and provide a second chance for many.
"Those who can't pay for representation are often black and brown," says Mr. Callender. "Mr. Emami's company has helped kids avoid recidivism and find their way back into society."
ROEM's cornerstone may be community building, but its underlying philosophy is solid and uncomplicated, like a well built foundation. "In our pursuit of excellence, there is simply no substitution for good, honest and hard work," says Mr. Emami.
Alison van Diggelan is a freelance writer in San Jose.