USC Community House

The offices of USC Civic and Community Relations (USC CCR) are housed in the USC Community House, a historic home located in the heart of the University Park neighborhood.

According to the City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, the USC Community House, formerly known as the Forthmann House, is the sixth-oldest house in Los Angeles. Built in the 1880’s, it was designated Historic-Cultural Monument Number 103 in 1972 by the commission.

The house was donated to USC by Nicholas Shammas in 1987. It was moved from its original location at 629 West 18th Street near Figueroa Street in November 1988 to its current site on the corner of 28th and Hoover Streets in North University Park, a national Register Historic District.

The Italianate-style Victorian home was then completely restored and renovated by the USC Real Estate Development Corporation and Kristin Belko, a University Park developer and attorney. Stefanos Polyzoides, of deBretteville and Polyzoides, served as restoration architect.

During the 1990's the house was occupied by several tenants, including the USC Department of Public Safety, LADP Southwest Division and City Living Realty.

On June 16, 1999, thanks to the generous assistance of Vice President Thomas H. Moran and colleagues in the USC Business Affairs Division, the staff of USC CCR moved to the house from their offices in the USC Religious Center, which had been their University Park campus home since 1972.

The USC Community House also serves as the headquarters of the Education Consortium of Central Los Angeles, one of USC CCR's most valuable community partners.