We are two brothers, two years apart. Our story starts in Iran. We came to California as kids in 1978 during the revolution as our parents were getting divorced. Our grandparents came with us and anchored our new lives.
Baba, our grandfather, shuttled us to school in Marin every morning, driving under the speed limit and somehow still arriving before the bell. Nayer, our grandmother, made us breakfast with hand squeezed orange juice and packed lunches with savory stews that enticed our new friends.
Looking back, we see how deeply they shaped our lives. Our love for elders starts with them.
Fast forward, in our late ‘20s we fell into the world of senior housing by accident, though nothing really happens by accident. We were called to help our half-brother Nader and his friend Earle with a small senior care home in San Francisco.
We left our new careers in law and finance, rolled up our sleeves and began our journey of caring for elders. We had no idea what we were doing other than intuition and the example of our grandparents. It felt natural, it felt right.
A curious thing was happening back then. The more care you needed as a senior, the more likely you would end up in hospital settings like a nursing home. Holistic care in a beautiful environment was hard to find or hardly available. We set to change that paradigm.
From the start, we focused on urban infill areas where seniors could remain an active part of the community fabric they helped create. This way, they could walk to neighborhood cafes and restaurants and we could be closer to them too.
We believe young and old sharing the same neighborhood creates healthier, more vibrant communities. Supporting this diversity is our goal, even if seeing someone older makes us uncomfortable about our own aging.
Our developments are centered in the Bay Area because where we grew up and went to school here and know firsthand the need. We also understand the complexities of building locally and our active presence helps navigate challenges while giving each community the focus it needs.
Our passion is creating soulful spaces that feel alive — where children visit often, where mindfulness is part of the rhythm, and where intergenerational connection is built into the design.
It’s been 30 years since we started this journey. We believe senior housing has come a long way in terms of quality and options. Still, there’s much more we can do to value seniors, like many cultures that place elders at the center of town squares, where spending time with them feels more cherished than a chore.
And that is why we continue our work.