Social Impact

With every Caruso development, we work hard to be woven into the fabric of its community, and to have a positive and lasting impact. To do so, we make it a priority to contribute meaningfully to its economic, social and environmental well-being.

Community-Centered Design

Local officials, civic groups and, most importantly, residents of the neighborhoods surrounding our properties have a critical voice in the projects we do. This entails hundreds of meetings—from intimate conversations in coffee shops and living rooms to town halls in large, open forums. Only after we have a firm grasp on what the community desires do we start to bring these properties to life.

Civic Leadership

Our involvement in the community only deepens as we shift from developing a property to operating it. That’s because we focus on being a permanent member of the neighborhood and a source of immense pride for its residents. To do this, we join local community organizations and listen to voiced wishes and concerns, continually tailoring our efforts to the wants of the community.

Economic Impact

New Caruso developments across Southern California revive local businesses and increase property values. They also create thousands of new jobs, in both the commercial and operational categories. The enduring Caruso ecosystem means more financial opportunity for those employees, and greater tax revenue to support the surrounding communities.

To further support the economic stability of its properties’ respective communities, Caruso donates to community organizations including local police and fire departments, the chamber of commerce, churches, synagogues, hospitals and schools.

Rick’s impact on Los Angeles reaches far beyond the borders of his commercial enterprises. Through his many philanthropic commitments—whether it’s transforming the lives of the city’s neediest children at Para Los Niños, providing mentorship and enriched educational opportunities for severely underserved children in Watts with Operation Progress, supporting vitally needed medical research at the Keck School of Medicine, or building and endowing our Savior Parish and the USC Caruso Catholic Church, he has exhibited a deep sense of social responsibility and civic investment across the county.

Mary Melton, editor in chief, Los Angeles Magazine

Company Programs

Caruso provides a growing number of opportunities for our team members to participate in community efforts. Most notably, many of our employees double as mentors for students in both our Operation Progress and Caruso Scholars programs.

Caruso’s hallmark programs include Operation Progress, which takes a holistic approach to empowering underserved scholars and enriching their lives both in and out of the classroom thanks to support from LAPD mentors and local volunteers; Para Los Niños, a Skid Row-based nonprofit social services and education organization dedicated to the success of L.A.’s neediest children and families; and Caruso Scholars, a program that provides scholarships, internships and mentorships for 15 South Central scholars each year.

Additionally, our company has participated for many years in the Verbum Dei Corporate Work Study Program, investing in student workers to make college-preparatory education possible for students facing financial hardships.

Sustainability

Los Angeles and the surrounding area is notoriously a car culture, with insufficient walkable neighborhoods or gathering places—something humans fundamentally need and deserve. One of Caruso’s most significant contributions is in increasing the number of walkable neighborhoods, while decreasing the need for transportation and the greenhouse gas emissions that come with it.

As one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the country, Caruso has the ability to make a profound impact on the environmental footprint of our communities. Knowing this, we pledge to meet or exceed the industry’s highest standards for sustainability. Across our entire portfolio we have taken a wide range of environmentally conscious measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste. Additionally, for all new developments in our pipeline, we are committed to implementing environmentally sound solutions that are in strict accordance with the latest California Green Building Standards Code.

PALISADES VILLAGE

Palisades Village is proud to be the first ground-up business district in the state of California to earn LEED Gold Certification based on our water efficiency, energy consumption, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design.