The Stratham Group of Cos. develops homes and residential communities in Southern California.

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For The Stratham Group of Cos., expansion is not a main priority, President Ali C. Razi says. Instead, “A priority is being able to manage our projects well and remain healthy,” he says, noting that the 29-year-old company has a record of finishing its projects as complete successes.

Based in Irvine, Calif., the company has focused on developing homes and residential communities in Southern California. Razi notes that the company has purchased, developed, built and managed more than 10,000 residential units to date, including houses and apartments.

Although the housing market is now experiencing a downturn, Razi says Stratham has prepared itself well by not overextending itself and monitoring the cycles of the market. “[We know] that nothing goes up all the time and nothing goes down all the time,” he states. “When the market comes back, we [will] start growing and we [will] control our growth.”

Through this approach, the company has been able to enjoy 20 percent annual sales growth in recent years.

Additionally, he received the Builder of the Year Award for Southern California from the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Southern California in 2006 and Builder of the Year by the BIA – Baldy View Chapter in 2000.  In 2003, Stratham Homes was selected as Building Company of the Year by the BIA – Baldy View Chapter.

Getting Organized
As a private, local company, Razi says Stratham can operate with fewer layers of management than public builders, allowing the company to focus more on design, quality and customer service.

“That helps us to adjust to the taste [of] what our clients like to have in different communities,” he says.

During this downturn, “We’re going to be starting to get ourselves organized for developing more communities,” he says, noting that he is a partner in Grosvenor Holdings in Phoenix, which develops residential communities as well as commercial.

The company’s projects in California include Providence Ranch in Riverside, which features 1,300 homes and Reserve in Chino, which features 300 lots.

Razi adds that the company is developing its Park Place community in Ontario in partnership with the Lewis Group of Companies. The community will feature 1,400 homes including parks and schools.

Its projects also include Cleveland Square in Riverside, which will feature 330 homes. The company says it has strived to provide homes with innovative architecture and spacious floor plans, and build communities adjacent to schools, shopping and sources of recreation.

“[We] make sure to create an environment that our clients love to live in,” Razi says. “As a homebuilder, we are very
proud because we provide the American dream. I think it is very important that people have the opportunity to have this dream come true for them.”  

Loving the Business
Razi founded the company with two other partners in 1979. A native of Iran and a graduate of King’s College London, “I’ve been in the construction business since 1963,” he says. 

In Iran, Razi also owned an engineering company. But, when the country experienced its revolution in 1979, his business was taken over by the Khomeini government. Razi then traveled to Southern California and started Stratham.

Razi says he has enjoyed his time in the business.

“I love [building] the homes [and] communities that people love to live in,” he stresses. “I love to build the American dream.”

Razi notes that he was selected for the BIA’s Hall of Fame by the Building Industry Association of Southern California – Baldy View Chapter.

In addition, he participates in multiple community organizations, such as The Midnight Mission, which offers aid to the homeless in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles.  

“I have been very involved in higher education,” Razi adds, noting that he served for five years as a Trustee of the California State University (CSU) system, and is now on the Board of Governors of the CSU Foundation.

For his contribution to higher education, Razi was given an honorary doctorate by the CSU System in 2002.

Family Business
Stratham is a multi-generational company. His son, Keyvan Razi, after finishing law school, joined the company.

“He loves this business,” Ali Razi says. Keyvan Razi is an officer of several corporations and is a project manager for the Land Development Division of The Stratham Group of Companies.

In addition, the company enjoys employee longevity, with associates that have been with the company for more than 20 years. “We’ve got a strong team, and they enjoy what they’re doing,” Razi states.

Among them is Jeff Evans, who manages Stratham’s Land Development Division. “He comes with a strong background,” Razi says, noting that Evans once oversaw land development for Westinghouse Credit Corp.

“He’s been with me for more than 10 years,” he says.