Executive Receives Prestigious Honor Recognizing Outstanding Efforts on Behalf of Residents of Affordable Housing
Fairstead, a fully-integrated real estate firm committed to the preservation of affordable housing, is proud to announce that company Social Service Coordinator Franchel Mendoza PMP®, LMSW, SIFI, NP has been selected as the national 2020 Service Coordinator of the Year by the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC).
The prestigious award is presented by AASC annually to recognize outstanding efforts made by an individual within the social services profession and affordable housing that go above and beyond the normal hard work and dedication of service coordinators.
“Franchel embodies what Fairstead is all about. He is passionate, diligent, empathetic and dedicated to providing people a great place to live regardless of their income,” said Will Blodgett, Founding Partner of Fairstead. “He cares deeply and his drive to improve the daily lives of our residents and communities serve as an inspiration to the entire Fairstead team. We congratulate him wholeheartedly on this well-deserved honor.”
As a Social Services Coordinator and Social Worker, Mendoza has more than 10 years of experience working with low-income communities as an advocate for resident rights and services. He works tirelessly to empower residents and community members, providing resources to bridge the inequality gap in social, emotional, and economical resources.
In 2020, Mendoza partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau to bring opportunities of employment and education to underrepresented communities. He coordinated educational workshops and hands-on job application stations for Fairstead properties encompassing over 6,000 residents, deeply impressing employees at the U.S. Census Bureau.
Mendoza also demonstrated great initiative in working with the New York Police Department’s Neighborhood Coordination and Community Affairs unit to further promote community and safety within Fairstead’s communities. Mr. Mendoza served as a dedicated resource for residents and as an advocate for their needs and community support to help bridge the historical disconnect between law enforcement and low-income neighborhoods.
“I enjoy working in communities of diverse leadership and fast-paced settings, and my time at Fairstead has been marked by interaction with so many individuals dedicated to the betterment of these communities,” said Mendoza. “I am especially gratified to work for a company such as Fairstead that puts the betterment of residents’ lives at the top of its priority list.”
Mendoza is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in the State of New York and is certified as a Project Management Professional from the global Project Management Institute.
The annual American Association of Service Coordinators’ Awards of Excellence recognize individual members, innovative programs at an affordable housing property, and an affordable housing property’s teams for outstanding achievement in service coordination and providing services to residents.
About Fairstead
Fairstead is a vertically integrated real estate investor, developer, owner and operator specializing in affordable and mixed-income housing. Since 2014, Fairstead has acquired and/or developed more than $4 Billion of multifamily property across the country, and today owns a portfolio of 12,000 apartments in 14 states. The company’s comprehensive platform provides hands-on expertise across all multifamily disciplines, including acquisitions, development, design and construction, energy and sustainability, property management and social services. For more information, visit www.fairstead.com.
