Central Coast Voyager interviewed the founder and CEO of Augusta Communities, Suzanne Taylor.

Children and teens ages 6 to 14 who live in Augusta Communities’ mobile home communities in Montclair recently participated in Camp Blue Sky, Augusta’s summer day camp program. The program was offered at Villa Montclair and Hacienda/Monterey Manor, with activities ranging from dodgeball, soccer and other outdoor games to tie-dye, painting and other art projects

Augusta Communities, a women-led nonprofit housing organization based in Upland, California, has secured $118.1 million in tax-exempt financing and completed the purchase of nine manufactured home communities across seven California counties. This expands Augusta Communities’ portfolio to 17 properties, adding to eight existing communities in San Bernardino, Tulare, Ventura and Riverside counties. The newly acquired properties are located in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern,

Augusta's nonprofit structure means no cash flow is distributed to owners. Revenue returns to community improvements and future acquisitions instead, which is what separates the model from for-profit ownership. Suzanne Taylor describes how tax-exempt bonds and a $15 million Fannie Mae loan financed early growth, and how an all-women management team built resident services around financial assistance, vaccination clinics, and college scholarships.

Camp Blue Sky completed its 16th season serving children in Augusta's Montclair communities. The four-week program served 25 campers this year at a cost of $25 per family, and has reached 890 campers since 2010. Sessions run at Villa Montclair and Monterey Manor and include sports, art projects, and visits from guests such as professional drag racer Kelly Barr Anderson, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Los Angeles Fire Department. Holding camp onsite within the communities rem