About Us

History

Sierra Ridge 1980searly 1980s — Monthly contributions from Student Housing Cooperatives serving the University of Texas allows Francie Ferguson and other university student housing cooperative members to create the Austin Community Neighborhood Trust, a housing program for low-income families.

1984 — With the Austin real estate market in a slump, we change our name to Austin Mutual Housing and concentrate on managing affordable housing.

1987 — We sponsor a retreat for Austin community leaders to promote and market affordable housing.

1990 — We change our name to Central Texas Mutual Housing Association and create a strategic business plan to purchase as many units as possible in the depressed real estate market.

Shadow Brookearly 1990s — We acquire four multi-family properties in Austin totaling more than 491 units.

1994 — The Resident Association at Sierra Ridge Apartments creates its first youth program.

1995 — We acquire our largest community, Shadow Brook Apartments, a 403-unit complex in Arlington, Texas.

1997 — Francie Ferguson, founding director, says good-bye and the Board hires the Development Director, Walter Moreau, as the new Executive Director.

1998 — We launch Great IDeAs, the first Individual Development Account program in Texas.

1998 — We are awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits to build Trails at the Park, our first our first major construction project.

Sandra Lumley and Walter Moreau1999 — We are one of three organizations in the country awarded the Metropolitan Life Foundation Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing.

Trails at the Park2000 — We complete Trails at the Park, a 200-unit complex, that is immediately filled.

2000 — We purchase and renovate a run-down 200-unit family property, now called Trails at Vintage Creek.

2001 — We change our name to Foundation Communities to more accurately reflect our mission.

2001 — We complete Southwest Trails, the first affordable housing in west Austin.

Garden Terrace2003 — We open Garden Terrace, Austin's first supportive housing community for single adults who were homeless or in danger of becoming homeless.

2004 — We create the Children's HOME Initiative, giving 45 homeless families an affordable home and the tools they need to achieve self-sufficiency.

Money Bags Representing Tax Refunds2005 — We open new Community Learning Centers at Trails at Vintage Creek (Austin) and Shadow Brook (Arlington). We also grow our family financial stability programs to include the Community Tax Centers, a program based on the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax program.

Spring Terrace Grand Opening2006 — Spring Terrace, Austin's second supportive housing community, opens to provide low-cost efficiency apartments for 140 more very low-income and homeless individuals.

2008 — Skyline Terrace opens and Garden Terrace completes an expansion of 15 additional units, bringing a total of 345 low-cost efficiency apartments.