American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) was founded in 1949 as Pilgrim Haven Home Corporation with the establishment of Pilgrim Haven retirement community in Los Altos, California. The original purpose and commitment to provide quality housing and health care for retired American Baptist ministers and missionaries has expanded to include older persons regardless of occupation or religious affiliation.

ABHOW communities offer a variety of services and programs for residents. In the continuing care retirement communities, of which there are nine, at least three levels of care and services are provided: residential living, assisted living and skilled nursing care. All residents receive at least one meal a day, housekeeping and laundry services, social events and activities, transportation, and other supportive services as needed, such as occupational, speech and physical therapies. Residents pay an entrance fee upon admission to the community for the continuing care contract of services, and residents pay a monthly service fee that is based on the services they receive.

ABHOW owns and/or manages 19 affordable housing retirement communities that are residential units for low and/or moderate-income persons. These communities offer primarily residential apartments with supporting social and recreational activities, transportation, and in some communities, meal programs are provided. In most of the communities, eligible residents receive subsidies that reduce their monthly rent.

ABHOW has grown from one community serving nine residents in 1949 to over 4,600 residents in 32 communities located in three western states. A professional, caring staff of over 1,600 delivers the services provided for all residents. 

A Foundation for Growth

The first Executive Director was the Rev. Harold Bottemiller who brought sound management and building experience to the organization, laying the foundation for its future growth and development. In 1965, American Baptist Homes and Hospitals of Northern California was formed to meet the growing need and desire of older persons for the continuing care services developed by the former Pilgrim Haven Home Corporation. Construction of San Joaquin Gardens in Fresno and Grand Lake Gardens in Oakland was completed in 1966.

Since 1966, the Corporation has extended its ministry to Southern California, Arizona and Washington and built a corporate office building in Oakland. In 1968, the corporation changed its name to American Baptist Homes of the West. Also in that same year, the American Baptist Homes Foundation of the West, Inc. was established as a separate entity to receive gifts and bequests that in turn were used to offer financial assistance to ABHOW residents. A second community was built in Oakland in 1969 and named Piedmont Gardens.

A decision to enter the field of rental housing for low-income older persons (affordable housing retirement communities) led to co-sponsorship and/or management with local churches for retirement homes in San Luis Obispo in 1970 (Judson Terrace), Riverside in 1971 (Mount Rubidoux Manor) and Bellflower in 1973 (Bellflower Friendship Manor).

Innovations in Senior Living Construction at Pacific Meadows in Carmel Valley, serving a variety of income levels and the first venture of ABHOW into a tax credit partnership, was completed and opened its doors to residents in 1991. Upon Dr. Ice’s retirement, Mr. David B. Ferguson became President. Mr. Ferguson’s extensive knowledge and experience in the senior living industry enabled ABHOW to remain competitive while expanding its core services and programs. The newest California ABHOW continuing care retirement community, The Terraces of Los Gatos, completed construction and opened in December 1992.

Refinancing the debt for Judson Park in Des Moines, Washington, made it possible to complete extensive construction and expansion of that continuing care retirement community. ABHOW became sole member of American Baptist Homes of Washington in April 1995.
ABHOW entered into a management contract in August 1996, to manage Harbor View Manor, a 170-unit affordable housing retirement community in Tacoma, Washington. The first stand-alone special care unit was built and opened with its first resident in July 1996. The Grove, located on the premises of Plymouth Village, provides residential services for those with Alzheimer’s and other memory losses.

In the spring of 1997, two new ABHOW subsidiaries were created to implement a corporate reorganization plan, American Baptist Properties, Inc. (a holding company created with the intention of holding title to all ABHOW realty) and Seniority, Inc. (a for profit entity to manage all ABHOW sales and marketing programs as well as selling these and other services to non-ABHOW providers.

Moving into the state of New Mexico, ABHOW signed a management agreement in July 1997, with La Vida Llena, a 399-unit life care community in Albuquerque. A management contract was assumed in 1998 with Baptist Senior Adult Ministries of Washington, D.C., and in 1999 ABHOW became the sole member of this continuing care retirement community operating also senior adult day care centers in the community.

The Home Office of ABHOW moved from Oakland, California to Pleasanton, California in March 1999.

The ABHOW affordable housing retirement communities grew significantly during the next several years. In 1999, ABHOW assumed management of Bellflower Oak Street Manor and completed construction of Tahoe Senior Plaza. Fern Lodge in Redlands was built and operational in August of 2000, along with management contracts for Casa de Redwoods in Redwood City and E. E. Cleveland Manor in Oakland. In August of 2001 Allen Temple Housing Corporation IV (Allen Temple Manor) opened in Oakland. This community is ABHOW’s first non-senior community, providing affordable housing for disabled persons with a preference for individuals disabled by HIV or AIDS. Allen Temple Housing Corporation III (Allen Temple Gardens) opened in December 2001. This is an affordable housing retirement community also in Oakland.

Seniority, Inc. contracted with Holly Creek of Centennial, Colorado, a CCRC sponsored by Christian Living Campuses. Seniority was initially hired for marketing consulting services only, however, in August 2002 after achieving their pre-sales goals for Phase I, Seniority was given the additional responsibility for the sales office at Holly Creek and is currently working with them in all aspects of pre-sales, sales and marketing and management for Holly Creek’s Phase II.

As a response to certain growth challenges and opportunities, ABHOW created Cornerstone Affiliates in 2003. Cornerstone provides an organizational governance structure that facilitates acquisition, development and affiliation of communities while protecting ABHOW’s core credit position and furthering the organization’s mission.

The year 2004 was one of looking back to build on the experiences of the past. It was also a time of looking ahead to see things as they might be in the decades to come. Under Cornerstone, comprehensive redevelopment of The Terraces of Phoenix (formerly Orangewood) was begun with a $62 million bond offering. The redevelopment consisted of reconstruction of the majority of the 22-acre campus.

Two new affordable housing communities opened in 2004. They are Judson Terrace Lodge in San Luis Obispo and Broadmoor Plaza in San Leandro.

Under Seniority’s direction, Holly Creek, a new CCRC in Denver, Colorado, achieved its pre-sales goals and obtained financing for 180 residential and 54 assisted living apartments. Seniority opened two new communities during 2004: Kokoro Assisted Living in San Francisco and Pacific Gardens, an assisted living and memory support community in Santa Clara, California.

Exploratory repositioning plans began for Rosewood, Grand Lake Gardens, Piedmont Gardens and Judson Park. Campus planning continued in California at Valle Verde, San Joaquin Gardens, and Pilgrim Haven as these communities seek to meet market needs well beyond current capacity.

In 2005, ABHOW focused on the people and systems that support growth in the organization’s 32 communities. This year the organization practiced the habits of a learning organization by strengthening the accountability of staff and the governing board while strengthening communication and common mission. A very difficult decision was made to sell Thomas House, a CCRC in Washington, D.C. after expending considerable resources to strengthen the financially troubled community. After 8 years, the management contract for La Vida Llena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was not renewed.

Two beautiful communities have risen in the West under Cornerstone Affiliates. They are Las Ventanas at Summerlin, the only life care community in Las Vegas, and The Terraces of Phoenix, the newest CCRC in one of the nation’s most popular retirement destinations. The Terraces of Phoenix is the reconstructed Orangewood Retirement Community in Phoenix, Arizona. Las Ventanas offers spacious apartments and villa homes, lush gardens and courtyards on 17 acres. The Terraces of Phoenix development added 124 new apartment homes plus 49 assisted living, 64 skilled nursing, and 25 memory support suites. Major renovations were also completed for existing common areas, and the way was paved for further redevelopment of the remaining older casitas.

The tradition of excellence in affordable housing leadership and development continued for ABHOW. During 2005, project planning and partnership development raised more than $6 million in local government funding for two new communities. ABHOW partnered with the City of South Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to develop an additional 33 apartments. In Daly City, California, the company partnered with city, County of San Mateo, and Broadmoor Presbyterian Church to build a 40-apartment community. A new management contract with Manila Terrace in Los Angeles’ historic Filipino Town was obtained in 2005.

As a continuation of the commitment ABHOW has to providing services for those with memory loss, new special care units “The Grove” opened at La Vida Llena, San Joaquin Gardens, Thomas House and Valle Verde in 2003-2004. During 2005, a beautiful new memory support unit was also opened as part of the redevelopment at The Terraces of Phoenix. Over the next several years, ABHOW remains committed to the development of other Groves throughout the organization as it celebrated in 2006 the 10th anniversary of the first Grove at Plymouth Village.

With the recognition that new growth must be balanced with reinvestment in existing communities, during 2006 ABHOW embarked on an ambitious multi-year plan to begin redevelopment activities at a majority of ABHOW’s California campuses. At the close of fiscal year 2006, $50 million was borrowed for these efforts – the first “new money” for redevelopment since 1988. Plans are underway for additional borrowing during 2008 to further these efforts.

In January 2007, ABWASH refinanced its existing debt and borrowed an additional $28 million to finance a 64 apartment expansion at Judson Park. This expansion has enjoyed broad support with 100% of the apartments pre-sold. New residents are anticipated to be welcomed to the community during 2008.

Furthering growth objectives, preliminary discussions are being held for Cornerstone to develop a new CCRC in Boise, Idaho.

Affordable housing also continues to enjoy new opportunities with the commencement of construction of Hillcrest Gardens in Daly City, the acquisition of a 3-acre parcel of land for Tahoe Senior Plaza II in South Lake Tahoe and most recently acquiring land for the construction of affordable housing communities in San Ramon, California and Lynnwood, Washington.

A Commitment to Excellence The growth of American Baptist Homes of the West is traced through its acquisition of property, construction of new buildings, and new and expanding programs for residents and employees and for the communities surrounding the local ABHOW homes. The character of American Baptist Homes of the West is in its caring for persons and its commitment to excellence in management and services.

American Baptist Homes of the West now has annual revenue in excess of $130 million and manages assets of over $340 million. The American Baptist Homes Foundation of the West, Inc. has grown to more than $45 million in assets and hopes to surpass $50 million by the close of the 2007 fiscal year. At the Cornerstone level, aggregate assets under management surpass $500 million with a current value in excess of $700 million.