Upwardly Mobile Magazine

mobile UPWARDLY

THe MaGaZiNe oF Mobile, MaNUFaCTUred aNd ModUlar HoMe liViNG

canyon tranquility a hilltop hideaway combines simplicity, elegance and sustainable living

s p r i n g 20 0 9

$4.95

Dave Weinhold Senior Loan Consultant

1463 South Victoria Avenue Ventura, CA 93003

805.650.8855

Nancie Irvine Sales Manager

2615 S. Miller Street Santa Maria, CA 93455

805.934.4556 ofc 805.345.6534 cell upwardlymobile_fullpage.indd 1

8/22/2008 9:33:00 AM

UP FRONT “The times they are a changin’” —Bob Dylan

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e are in changing times. An old Chinese proverb states “May you never live in interesting times.”

Well, we are in interesting times, even difficult times that are affecting most of us: publishers, manufacturers, retailers, and just plain folks. But, these times can also be opportunities—opportunities to change, to return to values lost, to remove inefficiencies, and to find new answers. Because we are a country of innovators, it is we who have the power to bring about change.

As everyone knows, one of the areas hardest hit in the downturn is the housing market. And one of the biggest opportunities is to look at new ways of thinking about housing, especially in the off-site, affordable housing market—the area of manufactured and modular housing, where there is great opportunity for positive change. What was a niche market is now being considered as a possibility for the mainstream. For too long, the manufactured housing industry has been pushed to the back burner, as either too technical or too cheaply constructed. Yet these homes reduce waste and are cost-efficient, quick to put up, and well-built.

Many manufactured housing communities offer a “retro” neighborhood lifestyle, often lost in our modern world, with lots of activities—just right for the young person starting out or the older person paring down. Many of these homes offer bigger spaces and the addition of small yards, which are not available with condos, for the same price and fees. Ranches and farms find them a wonderful option too, especially for extended families or just to reduce the time and cost of a lumber-built home.

Upwardly Mobile was launched at the beginning of this economic downturn because we believe manufactured and modular homes give solutions. We wish to feature better answers for remodeling, decorating, and upgrading, as well as exciting ideas and designs in new homes. We want to help bring “the change we need”: affordable, but beautiful, housing.

So, dear reader, share the excitement of this living style. Explore the homes, the styles, the parks and the personalities. Read about mobile and manufactured home history, with its influence on today, and look into the potential changes for its future. Join us on our wonderful Upwardly Mobile journey, and help us change attitudes.

Please send your ideas for change to us at toni@umhmag.com. We love seeing your thoughts and looking at your artwork.

Toni Gump Publisher 4

The Magazine Of Mobile, Manufactured And Modular Home Living

Publisher & editorial director Toni Gump DIRECTOR OF SALES David Goldman ADVERTISING SALES Roxann Reik ACCOUNTS MANAGER Marie Gayet Design & Production City Creative Group Contributors Barney Brantingham Arnie Cooper Meredith Day Leslie Dinaberg Betsy Edwards Virginia Hayes Jess Maxcy AUDREY MOE DAWN MOORE Frank Nelson Jean Picard Onnah Roll Howard StIEr Leslie A. Westbrook Photography HOWARD STIER Brent Winebrenner art & illustration Penny Arntz James esker Carole Goldman Troy Palmer-Hughes COPY EDITING SKONA BRITTAIN Upwardly Mobile: The Magazine Of Mobile, Manufactured And Modular Home Living is published quarterly by Upwardly Mobile Home Magazine, and single copies are provided free of charge. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and designs printed in Upwardly Mobile are the sole property of Upwardly Mobile Home Magazine and may not be duplicated or reprinted without express written permission. Upwardly Mobile is not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers or writers. Readers should verify advertised information with the advertisers. Upwardly Mobile reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Upwardly Mobile® is a registered trademark of Upwardly Mobile Home Magazine, Copyright © 2009. All inquiries may be sent to: Upwardly Mobile, 1187 Coast Village Road, Ste. 1-394, Santa Barbara, CA 93108, or info@umhmag. com or visit our website at: www.umhmag.com.

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CONTENTS

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ON THE COVER

Temescal Canyon Tranquility A designer’s hilltop hideaway combines simplicity, elegance and sustainable Living. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

BUILDING BLOCKS

Ship Shape Allen Associates’ Built-to-Ship homes offer thoughtful, stylish and green living options . . . . . . . 36 6

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36 26

34

14 44

DEPARTMENTS UP FRONT Letter from the Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

INNOVATIONS Small House Big Idea for Clayton Homes . . . . 26

LETTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

DESTINATIONS The Lido Peninsula Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

IN THE MEDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

INVESTMENTS Buy and Build? Or Lease and Release? . . . . . . . 40

IT’S THE LAW Out-of-state Sales Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

OPEN ROAD Monterey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

FOR YOUR FILES How to Pick a Contractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

UPSCALE Paint-by-Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

IN THE GARDEN The Art of Gravel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

IN THE PARK Off the Beaten Path at the Havasu Palms . . . . . . . . 44

ENTERTAINING Time for Tea and a Neighborly Welcome . . . . . . 16

UPGRADE Cozify Your Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Managing Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

TRAILER TRASH TALES Episode 4: The Human Element . . . . . 48

INSIDE THE BOX Entertainment Tonight (Part III) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

LAST LOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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LETTERS Dear Toni, know your office manager’s mom and when I was visiting her I saw the magazine. I have a daughter that is in her 30’s and on a limited budget. This magazine will give her some creative ideas in how she can establish a domicile. I would also like to subscribe and receive your back issues. With the economy as it is, your publication is very appropriate. I would like to pay for a subscription.

I

Sandra Hotchkiss Santa Barbara, CA

Dear Upwardly Mobile, bout a week ago I was introduced to the Upwardly Mobile magazine and was astonished on how someone had a similar idea to bring a lifestyle of manufactured home living into the light. I comment you, and believe this to be one of the most tasteful if not the only magazine that will circulate in years to come with the rise of the new generation manufactured homes...a magazine that I’ve been thumbing through the last week or so, kicking myself for not venturing out on a similar idea!

A

Dear Upwardly Mobile, lease sign us up for a free subscription to Upwardly Mobile.

My husband and I are currently researching purchasing a manufactured home and looking at different senior parks. Your magazine gave us a multitude of ideas and suggestions along with resources to help guide us in making several decisions on our purchase.

P

Paul & Cynthia Charest Santa Ana, CA

Dear Upwardly Mobile, inally! The magazine I kept looking for on the newstand but was always told didn’t exist!

And it is beautiful – KUDOS!!

I understand volume 1 issue 2 that my park is passing around is your second issue—is it possible to get a copy of the first? We’re in the process of rebuilding and would hate to miss anything that might apply to our plans.

F

Thanks, Nanci Iannone Malibu

Dear Upwardly Mobile, e would like to try a free one year subscription to your magazine. Our Juno address is our travel address which we do not do so much of anymore.

Your publication does have great style & class.

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LeRoy & Paula Baker Ventura, CA

Dear Toni, ou’ve done it again. You and your team have created another top quality magazine.

It is interesting, informative, and beautiful. Thanks again for a rewarding fun experience—keep up the good work.

Y

Judy Escalera

Letters, comments, suggestions, ideas or any other thoughts can be sent to us at: Upwardly Mobile 1187 Coast Village Road, Ste. 1-394 Santa Barbara, CA 93108 or email: toni@umhmag.com

tom@backerhomes.com

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TOMM & BUCK INSURANCE SERVICES

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: —Oliver Wendell Holmes

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e-mail: tommbuck@hotmail.com

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IN THE MEDIA

By Leslie A. Westbrook of living on the road in an RV to be both romantic and adventurous.”

Available through Amazon.com.

Expanding the Concept Mon Oncle

MOVIES Retro Movie Night Add the Coen brothers’ wacky, madcap comedy “Raising Arizona,” or the Jacques Tati French classic film, “Mon Oncle” to your Netflix.com list, make a bowl of popcorn, grab some Jujubes and a soda, and enjoy the show.

In “Raising Arizona,” Nick Cage plays an ex-con who has a hard time changing his conveniencestore-robbery ways. His policewoman wife (Holly Hunter), can’t bear children, so they steal one. The pair live in trailer bliss in the remote Arizona desert with their kidnapped baby, with visits from fellow cons and a wily bounty hunter.

The robotic house in “Mon Oncle,” a milder comedy, was ahead of its time and may inspire modern design features in your own upwardly mobile abode.

BOOKS How to Stretch Your Retirement Dollars… and find out if you & your spouse on are the same page

In the 6th edition of Retirement on a Budget, author John Howells offers ways to save money, which, retired or not, is useful information these days. A full chapter is devoted to manufactured home living along with a chapter on recreational vehicles (RVs). One reader reviewer notes: “I’ve always thought the idea 10

In Modular Mansions, Sheri Koones profiles twenty-one modular houses in varied styles, ranging from 1,344 to 12,700 square feet, including an Arts & Crafts House on Lake Orange, a canyon view log home, a colonial on the lake, Victorian nostalgia in New England, and more, in locations across the country.

Modular homes have become significantly more sophisticated, with beautiful, spacious designs that rival the size and quality of many custom stick-built homes. Modular Mansions showcases this amazing assortment of dream homes that highlight the benefits and details of modular craftsmanship.

INTERNET Google Your Next House This won’t be easy to write down: http://www.scrapbookscrapbook. com/DAC-ART/modular-kit-houses.html. But if you Google “modular, pre-fab, list of sites” this comprehensive site will appear. The site takes a lot of the Internet searching headache out of seeing what choices abound in modular kit houses, prefab construction, manufactured housing and more. We liked NextHouse, Cusato Cottages and Modern Cabana, among others.

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Out of State Sales Tax

Sales Tax has a Twin Sister While the homebuyer may not pay sales tax to the retailer, he/ she will not save money because either the retailer must report and pay the sales tax or the homebuyer must pay a use tax (equivalent to the sales tax), directly to the State or by reporting the use tax on his/her State Income Tax return [see Board of Equalization Regulation 1610.2 (5)].

“In general, you must pay California use tax if you purchase an item out-of-state (for example, by telephone, over the Internet, by mail, or in person) and: • The seller does not collect California sales or use tax, and • You use, give away, store, or consume the item in this state.”

What is the difference between sales tax and use tax?

In California, transfers of tangible personal property for a consideration (sales and purchases) are subject to sales tax or use tax unless the law pro-

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vides an exception (that is, an exemption or exclusion). Although the rates are generally the same, sales tax is imposed on the retailer for the privilege of selling tangible personal property in this state. The retailer may collect reimbursement from the customer if the contract of sale so provides. Although this is usually invoiced as “sales tax,” it is actually sales tax reimbursement. Whether or not the retailer collects reimbursement, the retailer is liable for the tax due.

Use tax is generally imposed on the purchaser of tangible personal property that is used, consumed or stored in this state. Sales of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft by licensed dealers are usually subject to sales tax, for which sales tax reimbursement is collected at the time of purchase. Use tax applies to the cost of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft purchased from nondealers (for example, private parties) or from outside California for use in this state. Use tax also applies to most leases of tangible personal property.

Private party sales or brokered transactions are normally subject to use tax. If the first use of the property occurs in California, use tax may apply even if the purchaser is not a resident of the state. The sales and use tax are “mutually exclusive,” which means that either sales tax or use tax applies to a single transaction, but not both.

The use tax is designed to protect California merchants who would otherwise be at a competitive disadvantage when compared to out-of-state retailers making untaxed sales to California customers. Although the tax rates of sales tax and

use tax are generally the same, the difference is that California retailers must pay sales tax to the state and use tax is the responsibility of the consumer to report and pay.

For those who might think they can slip through the system, consideration should be given to the following:

IT ’S THE LAW

A

t the California Manufactured Housing Institute, we continue to receive calls from California residents and retailers concerning sales tax on homes purchased in neighboring states for delivery in California.

The question is always the same: “An out-of-state retailer told me that if I purchase a home in Utah, Arizona, etc. for delivery and installation in California, I will save money because I won’t have to pay sales tax, is this true?” Short answer: no!

by Jess Maxcy

• Many local jurisdictions will not issue a permit to install a manufactured home without proof that the sales or use tax has been paid.

• The Consumer Use Tax section of the Board of Equalization receives reports from the DMV, FAA and HCD, as well as the United States Coast Guard, on identity transfers and registrations of vehicles, aircraft, manufactured homes and vessels. The Board requires the payment of use tax prior to completing transfer of titles or new registration.

• Filing false income tax returns can result in heavy penalties.

• Failure to pay by the consumer can result in severe penalties.

For more information about the California Use Tax, visit the Board of Equalization website at www.boe.ca.gov.

In an effort to bring clarity to this issue, we have posted a consumer alert on CMHI’s web page at www.cmhi.org.

Franchise Tax Board www.ftb.ca.gov/current/usetax

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FOR YOUR FILES

Bubba or Fauntleroy?

How to Choose a Contractor!

by Meredith Day

What has the contractor done?

Get a list of the contractor’s most recent jobs. Make sure that he is setting the heavier, new manufactured homes.

Check with the homeowners ask them what went right and what was frustrating. Attire alone cannot tell you what kind of a job the contractor will do.

Look at the work. Is the home nicely detailed, a credit to its surroundings?

State contractor’s board All contractors have to be licensed with the State of California. They have to have current liability and workmen’s comp insurance. This, as well as any complaints against the contractor, will be listed with the State. For California, go to: http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/CSLB_ LIBRARY/License+Request.asp

No matter how warm and fuzzy the contractor is, play it safe and look 12

up his or her license. If their liability insurance and workmen’s comp is not current, and there is an accident, you could be held responsible.

The contract A contractor has the right to ask for a 10% deposit upon signing the contract.

After that, a contractor is entitled to be paid upon the completion of construction.

The contract should list the items to be completed and the cost of each item. With the installation of a manufactured home, you need to get itemized prices from the contractor for a number of items. A very good list is provided at: http://silvercrest.com/SoCal/ds/dscost2.html

What to expect from your dealer When shopping at a manufactured home dealer for a new Manufactured home, the dealer usually doesn’t mention other expenses, over and above the Home, Delivery and Set.

“Home Base Price” is the price for the factory to build the home. The base price does not include upgrades.

The base price will include all dealer costs plus the Dealer’s standard profit.

“Delivery” means the transport of the home from the factory to your lot.

“Set” means setting the home on pillars and piers, leveling the home and bolting it together.

“Closeup” is sometimes included

in the set price but can be separate.

It means doing all the cosmetic work inside and outside the home to cover up the areas where the sections meet.

It usually includes the skirting around the base of the home. Prior to signing the contract, be sure that there is a detailed, clear description of exactly what is included.

Common frustrations The most common frustration is the job timeline.

Not the contractor’s fault: • Weather Delays • Building and Safety Inspection schedule. The contractor can call for an inspection. The actual day and time of the inspection is at the discretion of the inspector, not the contractor.

The contractor’s responsibility: • Communication. If there is going to be an unforeseen delay, it is the contractor’s responsibility to keep the homeowner informed.

• Contractor diligence. The contractor must watch his timeline and make sure that the crews are scheduled so that there is a minimum of delay between phases.

In the installation of a manufactured home, you will not see crews on your lot every single day. You do not want to pay for a crew waiting around for a prior phase to be completed.

Therefore, a good contractor usually schedules the phases a couple of days (continued on page 47) apart.

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Illustration by James Esker

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ou’ve picked out a wonderful new manufactured home.

Your dealer has given you a list of contractors who can install your home. Your neighbor has a friend whom he highly recommends. How do you choose? How can you tell who is a reliable, trustworthy workman and who might just empty your pocketbook— leaving you with a home that looks like something out of “Trailer Park Of Terror.” (Yes, an actual movie!)

It’s not the contractor’s appearance you need to be concerned with.

Here are the critical items to consider:

Remodel, Redecorate or Recycle at the ReStore!

The Habitat ReStore is a not-for-profit discount home improvement center where used, salvaged and surplus building materials are sold far below retail prices and the revenue from sales goes directly back to the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate to build more homes for low income families.

•• •• •

New and nearly new Windows: Wood, Vinyl, Aluminum Interior/Exterior Doors, French Doors, Swing, Sliders Electrical Fixtures, Lights, Fans Tubs, Toilets, Sinks, Vanities, Faucets Kitchen Cabinets, Counter Tops and much more!

Habitat for Humanity ReStores

Southern Santa Barbara County ReStore www.sbrestore.org 6725 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara CA 93117 (805) 692-2226

Northern Santa Barbara County ReStore www.nsbhabitat.com 2053 Preisker Ln. Santa Maria CA 93456 (805) 928-5399

San Luis Obispo County ReStore www.hfhsloco.org 784 High St. San Luis Obispo CA 93405 (805) 546-8699

Ventura County ReStore www.habitatventura.org 167 Lambert St Oxnard CA 93036 (805) 485-6065

San Gabriel Valley ReStore www.sgvhabitat.org 770 N Fair Oaks Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 792-3838

Garden Grove www.restoreoc.org 12827 Harbor Blvd Garden Grove CA 92840 (714) 590-8729

Gardena www.shophabitat.org 17700 S Figueroa St Gardena CA 90248 (866) 746-7434

Pasadena www.sgvhabitat.org 770 N Fair Oaks Pasadena CA 91103 (626) 792-3838

Riverside www.habitatriverside.org 2121 Atlanta Ave Riverside CA 92507-2441 (951) 787-6754 x113

San Diego www.sdhfh.org 10222 San Diego Mission Rd San Diego CA 92108 (619) 516-5267

For more ReStore locations, go to: www.habitat.org

IN THE GARDEN

The Art of Gravel

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By Virginia Hayes

Photos istockphoto.com

I

t doesn’t have fragrance, or velvety leaves to caress as you pass by. It doesn’t have strikingly colorful bark, or brilliant flowers, but it can be just as versatile and handsome as any other element in a garden. What is this mystery component? It is gravel. Well, more accurately, it is the fines of crushed or polished stone, and it comes in many colors and sizes and has myriad uses.

In many mobile home communities, there are rules about what can be used in the outdoor space. One ubiquitous order is to cover any bare ground with mulch, and many require that it be mineral, not organic. Black or red lava rocks have gained a reputation as a cheap, easy fix for this situation, but there are many other choices that can add another dimension to the garden. To simply dress the top of the soil, almost any stone can be used. Pea gravel is composed of small stones tumbled in the bottom of a river channel. It is relatively inexpensive and widely available. Rounded Mexican beach pebbles come in many colors and sizes. Slate, granite, and even tumbled glass can be used as mulch. Many other types of stone are also available crushed into chips. Because they have sharper edges, these chips lock together and stay put. This makes them useful in some situations, such as slight slopes.

Gravel mulch can solve some of the most difficult garden problems. Gravel can keep dry places dry, for instance. Use it to delineate a dry zone at the base of sensitive native oaks and other drought tolerant plants. It will still act as a moisture barrier, retaining moisture in the soil that could be lost to evaporation. It also allows any precipitation to penetrate by mitigating the formation of an impermeable crust on the soil surface that can occur in bare soil. Create a shallow furrow to channel rain water away from the downspout and line it with rounded pebbles of many sizes. This dry stream bed will be both practical and good-looking, rain or shine. Gravel makes an ideal choice to surface safe walkways, as well.

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tain it by installing wood, cement or tile along the edge to keep it nearly maintenance free and looking tidy.

Beside these practical uses, there are purely ornamental uses for gravel as well. Anywhere that mulch is called for, mineral mulches can be used. Sharp gravel or decomposed granite in a neutral tan or gold shade can serve as the perfect foil for the many soft greens and grays of plants native to the Mediterranean regions. Black slate mulch will not only deter weeds and conserve moisture

a low water-use garden. Lay a pattern of tiles, flagstones or cement pavers and fill in the spaces with fine gravel in a contrasting or complimentary color. This treatment can serve in spaces both large and small. A pocket garden near the entrance can showcase a large potted specimen or several smaller ones. If space allows, a small patio can be constructed in similar fashion and, with the addition of a comfortable chair and side table or a patio table and chairs, become a welcoming outdoor room. A well-laid decom-

in a cactus planting, it will reflect extra heat and light for these desert dwellers wherever they are planted. Smoothly rounded pebbles can set off the simplicity of a specimen clump of bamboo or a specimen cycad in a nod to Asian gardening. In fact, in Japan, gravel can be the feature presentation. A smoothed bed of gravel, perhaps with a cluster of interesting stones, a carved stone lantern or a sculpted dwarf pine, is all that is required for a serene meditation garden.

Whether a single type of stone is used or several are laid out in a pattern, gravel can serve as an elegant solution to

posed granite area is all that is required to play the newly-revived Italian game of bocce ball or any of the many versions of “lawn” bowling. The same space can double as an al fresco setting for that extended family or neighborhood feast.

So forget about high maintenance and water-thirsty lawns or fussy perennial beds. Consider simplifying at least some of your garden space with a carpet of stone.

Virginia Hayes writes frequently about gardening and is the curator of Ganna Walska Lotusland in Santa Barbara.

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E NTE RTAI N I N G

TEA TIME

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Afternoon Tea in Honor of New Neighbors

By Jean Picard

Photos istockphoto.com

T

he residents of mobile and manufactured home communities are known as one of the friendliest, most sociable groups of neighbors. Why not welcome the next new resident with the most civilized form of entertainment ever devised?

Afternoon tea is a gracious way to introduce your newest neighbor to others in your circle. Even if your “parlor” is rather small, you can likely accommodate six to eight quite comfortably.

The three requisite courses— sandwiches and savories, scones and diminutive desserts—can be extravagant or simple. Whether you go all-out with several offerings in each category or serve just one type of sandwich, scone and dessert, beautiful presentation and a good pot of tea will delight your guests.

Since everything except the tea itself is prepared ahead, even an elaborate afternoon tea can be just as relaxing for the hostess as for her guests.

As Henry James wrote in The Portrait of a Lady, “Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”

Go retro and invite the ladies to dress for the occasion. This means dresses, hosiery and heels, gloves and even hats, if they have them. It will add to the ambience. Leave it to them to see that the gentlemen dress appropriately!

Since afternoon tea is a brief occasion, perhaps two hours, the hostess would do well to include the word “precisely” in front of the time on the invitation (as in “precisely three o’clock”).

And, please, don’t call it “high tea,” which is the informal main evening meal sometimes called a “meat tea.”

Though you will see many unofficial variations on afternoon tea, the

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following recommendations are for a traditional British-style afternoon tea.

Many Americans think they don’t like tea, but that’s because they’ve only had the insipid brew that comes of dipping a low-quality tea bag into a cup of tepid water.

To make a proper pot of black tea, just before a kettle of freshly drawn water comes to a boil, warm the teapot with hot water, empty it, and add one teaspoon of tea leaves for each 8 ounces of water. Immediately pour in the freshly boiling water, let it stand for 5 minutes, stir, and then strain into cups.

If you prefer to use a tea ball, be sure it is large enough to allow the tea leaves to unfurl. Serve with sugar or sugar cubes, thin slices of lemon and a small pitcher of milk (never cream).

Make one to three kinds of tiny, crustless sandwiches (six to eight total per person), and cover them properly before refrigerating for a couple of hours until serving time. You might also include savory tartlets, mini quiches or bite-size meat pies.

Scones, another afternoon tea essential, can also be made ahead; just reheat at the last moment. Homemade are vastly superior to store-bought and so easy to make. Serve with strawberry or raspberry jam, lemon curd and Devonshire cream.

Make or buy a selection of dainty sweet treats, perhaps three of the following: shortbread or other biscuits (cookies), miniature cream puffs, mini muffins, petits-four and pecan tartlets.

Though not strictly required, Champagne and strawberries are elegant additions to the tea table.

After the ordeal of moving in, your new neighbor will appreciate the respite. And all will enjoy taking a step back in time to a gentler era.

“Afternoon teas without dancing are given in honor of…new neighbors…or, as is the case more often, for no reason other than the hostess feels hospitably inclined.”

—Emily Post’s Etiquette, 1957

“If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited, it will calm you.”

—19th Century British Prime Minister William Gladstone

Jean Picard writes frequently about entertaining and planning for social occasions.

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IN THE COMMUNITY

Managing Relationships with Your Neighbors

By Leslie Dinaberg

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elationships between residents and management can be tricky, so it’s important to remember that you’re on the same team; you both have a vested interest in making your community a great place to live. Whether you’re the homeowner or the park manager, try to think in terms of the other person’s point of view and see things from their perspective.

Disagreements are inevitable, but you can avoid arguments. As Dale Carnegie writes in his timeless book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

As issues come up—and they inevitably will—make sure to begin the conversation in a friendly way.

Then, let the other person do most of the talking, and don’t interrupt.

Try to be sympathetic to their point of view and respectful of their differing opinions.

¨It seems very simple, but talk to the other person if you have a concern,” says Pam Ragland, life coach and author of The 7 Why’s of Addiction and Radical Thought Shift. She also advises both parties

to withhold judgment. “I work with my clients all the time on suspending judgment, which is always about how the person doing the judging responds to the situation and not the situation itself. Change how you respond. If you have a tendency to get irritated, instead express how you really feel. Irritation is not a feeling; it is a surface blow up and never helps to get rid of the original issue. If you are irritated, the other person doesn’t even know about it.

But, your irritation, left unchecked, can and will turn a molehill into a mountain.”

“Almost any time we tell anyone anything, we are attempting to change the way their brains operate—attempting to change the way they see the world so that their view of it more closely resembles our own,” says Daniel Gilbert, Harvard College Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and author of Stumbling on Happiness.

Carnegie’s advice is to “Never tell another person they’re wrong, which can push them to defend and even further embrace their positions.” And don’t immediately assume you’re right. By demonstrat-

ing your willingness to rationally examine the facts, you may inspire them to do the same. If you’re in the wrong, then admit it and move on. By admitting your errors you free everyone to move more quickly toward solutions. Most importantly, try to see things from the other person’s point of view.

“It’s really difficult to see things through the eyes of the other person, but when you do, it’s like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time. You wonder how you could have been missing it all these years,” says David D. Burns, MD, clinical professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the author of Feeling Good and Feeling Good Together: The Secret to Making Troubled Relationships Work.

To build a successful management/homeowner team, take the advice of Henry Ford: “If there is any one secret to success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as your own.”

Leslie Dinaberg is a Santa Barbarabased freelance writer.

Opposite: Trailer home pastel by Penny Arntz (top) Park charcoal by Carole Goldman (bottom)

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inside the bo x

Entertainment Tonight Part III: Bedrooms and baths are the stuff dreams are made of, so pamper yourself and your family with these effortless room-by-room ideas.

ARTICLE AND SKETCHES By BETSY EDWARDS

Master Bedroom

A

dreamy ethnic mood is created by displaying a kimono or textile over the bed. This is easily accomplished with a simple length of bamboo or an iron rod and brackets. Night remedies are tucked away behind movable panels within the bookcase headboard; you can find similar styles on craigslist.org or ebay.com. A clutter-free bedroom environment is the best way to insure a peaceful night’s sleep, so utilize every organizational tool available.

Inspirational reading winds down the day, for which reading lamps with threeway bulbs are essential.

Swing-arm wall sconces offer space-saving alternatives to free up nightstand surfaces.

Electronics such as alarms and radios should be kept away from your head as electronic frequencies may interrupt your sleep patterns.

standards to create an accurate sketch of your personal closet—make every inch count. Visit your local home improvement center to see what materials and finishes are available. Ask questions and get professional advice.

Master Bath Storage is essential to your bathroom’s success. Spring for sleek stainless canisters and wall-mounted racks to display towels and toiletries. Add wall hooks to the back of doors for air drying towels.

If you lack linen closets, utilize teak, iron or painted wood shelves and cabinets, which are available in a multitude of sizes and styles. Treat yourself to new wastebaskets and accessories for a quick bath pick-me-up and don’t forget the loofa and bath salts…

Simplify—keep the bathroom monochromatic. Darker woods and earth tones create a grounded masculine feel; bright colors evoke energy; white exhibits a pure Zen feeling; combinations of celadon and blues add an ethereal vibe.

African Violets, orchids or gardenias are superb bathroom spirit boosters. Using organic cotton or bamboo fiber shower curtains and towels, create the ultimate earth-friendly bath.

Skylights are the perfect accessory for every bathroom; the natural light brightens everything in the room, including you!

Master Closets

Guest Room/Home Office

Websites offer layout options and accessories for every closet’s size and budget.

You’ll find dimensions and

Home offices frequently serve double duty as guest rooms. With priority given

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INSIDE THE BOx

to view the complete series oorplan, go to: www.umhmag.com/box

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to organization, smart spaces can be developed to address all your needs. Companies now offer home desk systems that create a compact “all-in-one” approach.

Armoires or campaign-style portable desks provide optimum possibilities.

We’ve utilized a bookcase concept with upper shelves for books and files, a pullout work top, a cork memo board and shelves below. Add a bold accent paint color to the back surface of your bookcases for a personalized look. Tip— This bookcase layout could be modified and built into a closet space or hallway as well.

A canvas over-the-door shoe rack creates a stylish way to organize scissors, staplers, pens and such. Remember to label each shoe pocket to keep everything organized.

Day or trundle beds add all the amenities of a guest room. If your office layout requires more floor space, consider creative new Murphy beds for overnight guests.

Jack and Jill bath

Clean contemporary lines and overhead pendant fixtures with a corrugated metal accent wall add unexpected energy to a shared bath. A textured or metallic accent wallcovering or paint can provide a similar punch on a budget. Open space under the vanity allows for natural bas-

kets of organized supplies and easy cleaning. Towels and toiletries are stored behind built-in mirrored cabinet doors on either side of the sinks. Adding bowls of fresh or dried lavender creates a calm nurturing scent.

bedroom

Color—mix it up! Look for quilts or tapestries to use as wall hangings to soften the bedroom visually and acoustically. If your walls are a neutral palette, it’s easy to mix colorful or patterned bed linens and accessories on a whim. Wall shelves painted in fun accent colors inspire easy rearranging of photos, art and accessories. Displaying mementos and collectables from vacations is sure to induce daily smiles. Plants are nature’s greatest accessory, adding life and vibrancy to any room. As air filters, they absorb carbon dioxide and create fresh clean air, check your local nursery to find plants that thrive in your room’s conditions.

Green tips—

• Use natural organic fiber flooring and fabrics throughout your home to avoid exposure to toxins and chemicals.

Regular cleanings will extend their wear and your enjoyment.

• Paint—there has been a lot of discussion surrounding volatile organic compound (VOC) paints, which emit

Web resources BEDDING AND BATH www.designpublic.com/shop/bedding www.amenityhome.com www.teakworks4u.com MURPHY BEDS www.wallbedfactory.com www.zoom-room.com ORGANIZATION www.stacksandstacks.com www.storables.com ORGANIC HOME ESSENTIALS www.mountainroseherbs.com www.greenhome.com Disclaimer: These drawings are copyrighted and are for representational purposes only. As with any construction or remodeling project, professional plans and coordination with all local codes, ordinances and structural needs are required.

gaseous fumes, creating odors and health risks. Look for Green Seal Organizationapproved low- or no-VOC paints. Home Depot has recently launched “Freshaire Choice,” a zero-VOC paint option.

• Natural fiber sheets, blankets, towels and sleepwear allow your body to rest and detoxify. Remember to launder with green products free of perfumes and chemicals. betsy edwards has designed nationally and internationally including homes for personalities Elton John and John Mellencamp

RED BARN PREFAB

A seemingly basic industrial steel structure provides a cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive and stylish modern home

www.redbarnprefab.com sales@mxadevelopment.com (310) 463-0211 Up w a r d l y

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I N N OVATI O N S

The nearly 1000-square foot iHouse boasts one of the most forward-thinking plans for a new era of manufactured homes. Below, the detached “flex room� serves as guest room and home office. Opposite, the well-appointed kitchen.

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Small House

Big Idea

Clayton Homes dots the ‘i’ with a new approach to sustainability

by Arnie Cooper

Photos courtesy Clayton Homes

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hen Clayton Homes unveiled its cutting edge iHouse prototype last October at its annual Showcase of Homes, there was little hint of the founder’s humble beginnings. The billion dollar maker of manufactured and modular housing was launched by James L. Clayton, the son of Tennessee cotton sharecroppers who was born in a tin-roofed home with no plumbing or electricity in 1934.

In 1966, Clayton, who was selling used cars at the time, purchased a fire-ravaged mobile home that he then remodeled and sold. Within just four years, Clayton was not only selling over 700 units a year, he was manufacturing them as well. In 1974, Clayton founded a mortgage subsidiary so he could finance the company’s sales. The ultimate result was a unique one-stop shop where homebuyers could purchase, insure and obtain the necessary funding for the house they wanted.

Today the Maryville, Tennessee-based company has grown to become the country’s number one maker of manufactured homes. With a network of over 1600 retailers, the company distributes units in 49 states. And as you’d expect, a wide variety of one and two-story homes are available, ranging ranging in size from 500 to 2,400 square feet and ranging in price fromfrom $20,000 to over $100,000 for luxury models.

But Jim Clayton’s success is not merely a function of entrepreneurial savvy. The former TV host (who sang duets with Dolly Parton) and one-time vacuum cleaner salesman, emphasizes a philosophy based on quality, affordability, style and sustainability. continued 27

I N N OVATI O N S

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The iHouse features a tankless water heater, recycled decking material, bamboo flooring and the option to install a solar PV system.

Nothing demonstrates this better than Clayton Homes’ latest creation, the 992-square foot iHouse—named for its unique footprint.

When viewed from above, the floor plan resembles a lower-case “i.” This consists of the home’s core—the bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom—and “dotted” with an extra detached space, known as the “flex room,” situated at the end of the main structure.

As its name implies, the flex room can function as either an office or a bedroom with a bathroom. It features an elevated rooftop deck, making the iHouse feel bigger than it actually is.

What’s more, the additional unit can be configured in various locations to accommodate landscaping or other siting issues.

According to one of its designers, Andy Hutsell, this flexibility adds to the model’s overall “green-ness.” Indeed, besides Clayton’s sustainable manufacturing process, the iHouse features a tankless water heater, recycled decking material, bamboo flooring and the option to install a solar PV system. Buyers will no doubt appreciate the cost savings derived from specially coated thermal pane windows and uniquely designed insulation.

Plus, the structure’s wide, v-shaped “butterfly” roof isn’t just for looks; it was designed to collect rainwater to be used for irrigation.

Beyond the iHouse’s environmentally friendly attributes, the Scandinavian-inspired interiors feature a host of amenities, including IKEA fixtures and dual-flush toilets, with every room factory-wired for your television, computer and telephone. A “mini-split” climate control system means you can, for example, keep the living room cooler than the bedroom—one reason heating and cooling costs are expected to be as low as just one dollar per day.

Though the company has yet to release the sales price, there’s talk of a $100,000 price tag.

One thing is certain: When the first iHouses hit the market this spring, manufactured home aficionados will have a reasonably-priced, eco-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on style.

For more information, contact: Clayton Homes, Inc. 500 Alcoa Trail Maryville, TN 37804 800-822-0633 www.claytonhomes.com Up w a r d l y

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Opposite, the airy and inviting master bedroom and another view of the kitchen and the natural light opportunities.

This page shows the entry/deck/breezeway between the two iHouse sections along with the family/living room.

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ON THE COVER

A Designer’s Hilltop Hideaway Combines Simplicity, Elegance and Sustainable Living

temescal canyon

tranquility by arnie cOOper phOTOs by brenT winebrenner 30

Open, expansive and inviting, the kitchen is the heart of Bobi Leonard’s Pacific Palisades home.

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ON THE COVER A marvelously serene view overlooks the Pacific from the broad deck. The details and lines flow peacefully through the kitchen (below left). The feeling of tranquility can even be seen in the park’s club house (bottom right).

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he initial approach to Bobi Leonard’s Pacific Palisades mobile home offers just a hint of the gem that awaits you. But walk through the electronic gate and you soon realize you’re entering a truly unique and welcoming residence.

Maybe it’s the angel sculpture with its outstretched arms. Or the sign bearing the words—in Spanish and English— ”May Peace Prevail on Earth.” In any event, you’ll be captivated by the sliver of the shimmering Pacific poking through the narrow space on the side of the house.

And as you head toward the front door, up steps so shallow you feel as if you’re walking on air, you’ll appreciate the pots of orchids and candles set against a row of giant Birds of Paradise. The whole scene is further dramatized by the bird chirps from a nearby Eucalyptus tree, which blend harmoniously with the surroundsound music. After placing your shoes beside the Buddha head fountain, you leave the shaded entryway and enter Ms. Leonard’s Silvercrest doublewide, lit by the ocean light.

Originally just 1500 square feet, with add-ons totaling another 800 square feet, the space feels even larger. This is due to Ms. Leonard’s design acumen, cultivated during thirty-plus years as an interior designer/entrepreneur. Dubbed “The Martha Stewart of the West Coast,” Leonard has brought her design vision to local and national audiences as a frequent guest on television shows, including “AM L.A.,” and “KTLA Morning News,” as well as “The Home & Garden Network.”

In fact, her current abode, which is situated in the Tahitian Terrace Mobile Home park, was featured on “Hour Magazine,” a local TV talk show.

As founder of Bobi Leonard Commercial and Residential Design, (which, during her tenure, had seven showrooms and 300 employees), Leonard has overseen thousands of projects, from A-list celebrity villas to apartment buildings, hotels and even a skyscraper in Texas. So it’s no surprise that Leonard wasn’t always a mobile home aficionado.

“When people mentioned them, I’d put my little nose up,” she says. Then

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Leonard received a call from the LA Times asking if she’d ever done a mobile home.

“What are you talking about?” was her response. At the time, Leonard was living in an oceanfront mansion in Santa Monica.

But her attitude changed soon afterwards when her future husband, Greg Morris, insisted she visit his mobile home, located near their current digs at Tahitian Terrace abutting Temescal Canyon.

“So here I am driving up the hill.

I was like ‘Oh my God’ this guy lives in a trailer park, but when I started noticing the view and the special feeling of the place, I thought I’ve got to do this!”

Leonard called the Times back and asked if they’d publish an article if she built a house. They enthusiastically

agreed. That was in 1999, and since then Leonard has shifted her thinking 180 degrees—the same angle as her expansive view.

“I get chills talking about it because it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life—to see that you can simplify your life and still live in a beautiful place.”

Indeed, entering the kitchen just off the entrance way, you understand what Leonard is getting at. Every square inch is utilized, thanks to features like a specially-made drawer that pulls out from under the sink, the customized Italian (and recyclable) Polycon cabinets and the pantry, organized—some might say obsessively—with each shelf clearly labeled by food category. An L-shaped counter

or “sushi area” eliminates the need for a dining room table. But elegance is never sacrificed, thanks to extras like travertine marble floors and an inlaid-crystal chandelier, both imported from Italy.

There’s certainly no shortage of artwork. This includes the Laddie John Dill wall hangings made of volcanic ash, bronze and glass, and a Stephen Fleitz multi-colored totem standing in Leonard’s office. On the kitchen counter are three of the artist’s cookie jars containing dog biscuits for the two Chihuahuas in residence, Angel and Gracie.

Moreover, with Buddhas and Guan Yins of every shape, size and material filling every nook and cranny, you can see why Leonard says she was Chinese in a previous life. In fact, sitting on the plush sofa in the living room, you can count at least five such statues.

A 400-year-old mother of pearl shoji screen from Japan signals the transition to the master bedroom.

Clearly, with these sleeping quarters, it’s not size that counts. Rather, the cozy space is filled with amenities, such as an electronically-controlled flat-screen TV that pops up from the foot of the bed.

(Personally, I’d opt for the vista beyond the room’s ample deck, with its year-round sunsets.) The other bedrooms function as an office, workout room and meditation space. There are two bathrooms, one of which contains both a steam and Jacuzzi, powered in part by an energy-saving tankless water heater.

Other sustainable features include an environmentally-friendly LG washer/ dryer combo, ecologically-filtered water and low-voltage lighting. Still a work in progress, the house will soon be outfitted with solar panels.

However, equally important to Leonard are her neighbors.

“My favorite part of living here is the feeling of going backwards in time.

It’s like the 1950’s when people were nicer. It’s just a whole community of individuals that love and help each other.”

Arnie Cooper writes from Santa Barbara for the Wall Street Journal, Dwell, and other national publications.

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D ESTI NATI O N S

Isle of View The Lido Peninsula Resort has it all

arTicle and phOTOs by hOward sTier

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I

t is no surprise to hear Newport Beach—one of the most spectacular coastal towns in Southern California— is a wonderful place to live. But residents of the Lido Peninsula Resort, a college campus-sized plot of land with immaculate streets, insist they’ve even got the rest of Newport beat.

They do not tire of explaining their good fortune; being in a manufactured housing community and leasing land costs them a fraction of what owners of traditional housing along the oceanside pay for the dirt beneath their homes. They say they enjoy a diverse group of homeowners: retired cops, media types, a sculptor and a woman who sang with Tommy Dorsey.

And there’s the insulation from the summer throngs.

“They’ve got the ocean, the waves... and the people” emphasizes Marv Landon, jabbing a finger across the bay from his home’s second floor patio. Removed from the main

drags of Newport Beach, the Lido juts into Balboa Bay. This geography, rather than a forbidding gate, maintains Lido’s privacy.

Tourists simply can’t find the place.

“I go from a 5,000 square foot house, with over an acre of land, to this. People ask why. I can only point to this view. You come here and you’re happy as heck.” Landon, an insurance broker, and his wife weekly make an hour and a half commute from Hidden Hills in the San Fernando Valley. He came across Lido Park while looking for a beach house, found a good thing and stuck with it. Since first renting a trailer in the park in 1995, he’s carved out a fiefdom of sorts for his family, who collectively own three homes along Lido’s forty yard swath of private beach.

An armada of pleasure boats is arrayed outside Landon’s front door. He’s got three himself, including a Duffy, the peninsula’s ubiquitous slow-sailing electric boat that functions as a water-born golf cart of sorts.

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breakfast [restaurants on the bay have docks] and visit friends on the other side.”

“Some of the finest trailers to be found anywhere in the world” reads promotional copy from the early 1950s, when the Lido trailer park took shape.

Since then it has inexorably progressed to a community of state-of-the-art manufactured homes, explains manager Don Funk, who speaks with precision (he was an industrial draftsman) on the history and construction specifications of the park. “In the late 50’s they added cabanas to the trailers, then in the 60’s mobile homes replaced the trailers. In the 90’s the modular homes came in” said Funk, an avuncular man who is an integral part of the Lido. Tooling around the property, he greets everyone on the pavement. He makes sure new construction meets the park’s architectural standards. (He also is charged Up w a r d l y

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with measuring pets for code—dogs must be under 24” at the shoulder.)

He was on hand as two new units were added in February, facing one of the remaining trailers. “They were craned in at 7:00am and by 1:00pm they were bolted to the foundations. We’re just waiting on the roofs.”

The two-story, 1,000’ square models, fitted with hardiboard siding (a cement epoxy material) and a carport, are selling for $274,000. Monthly rent is $1650 for the new homes.

There are also those who appreciate Lido being a walkable community.

As in so many developments, the common areas, such the clubhouse here, goes un-utilized. It’s in Lido’s streets where residents meet and interact. “You can walk to the market, to the movies.

And every other Monday we celebrate someone’s birthday with a potluck barbecue” says year-round resident Bar-

bara Dailey. After marrying, Dailey settled into an inner street home where she revels in Lido’s street life of early morning dog walkers. “The pajama parade I call it. There’s always someone to talk to here, even at 6am, this is where the action is.” Not the type of action she had been used to, though. (Dailey was the first female officer on the Burbank Police Department and would also bodyguard a security-obsessed Johnny Carson.)

Standing in front of her home as the sun sets and the evening breeze rolls in from the ocean, Dailey wistfully names the commercial stretches she patrolled for 25 years. “Magnolia, Lankersham, Burbank...” Does she miss Burbank? Not so much.

“Being a cop is like being a plumber, you have to deal with everyone’s crap. Now I come home and I’m only surrounded with beauty.”

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BUILDING BLOCKS

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These two panelized homes (in Hawaii and California) show the broad range of styles available (opposite).

Ship Shape Allen Associates’ Built-to-Ship panelized homes offer thoughtful, stylish and green living options

By Frank Nelson

Photos courtesy Allen Associates

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eeting a need for compact, sturdy, easily-assembled houses (sometimes in remote locations) has led Santa Barbara-based construction company Allen Associates into the business of Built-to-Ship panelized homes.

Vice President and Sales Director Ian Cronshaw unwittingly started the trend about seven years ago, when he and his wife Anna decided to build a small, simple home off the beaten track on the island of Kauai.

“It was almost a necessity,” explains Cronshaw. “We wanted to build something affordable and quick. Materials and labor are difficult to manage on the island, especially for an absentee owner, so we built it here and shipped it out by container.”

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom plantation-style house—about 880 square feet with another 300 square feet of wraparound deck—went from “dirt to completion” in just 30 days, much faster and significantly cheaper than a traditionally built home.

Since then, similar houses have sprouted up on Kauai, Maui, Molokai and on the big island of Hawaii. They have also spread to the mainland, attracting buyers from Truckee, Calistoga, Riverside, Carpinteria and Montecito.

Another two homes were sent to help Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

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Mike Dobrotin, Built-to-Ship Division Manager, says these panelized homes are typically between 800 and 1,200 square feet, very airy, open-plan and well-designed, making them suitable for permanent living or ideal as vacation homes, guest houses, studios, pool houses or home offices.

The process begins with client meetings and what Cronshaw calls “a lot of listening.” The company offers a range of options to consider, starting with the style of house—tropical, plantation, cottage or ranch, the latter available as early Californian with an adobe finish.

A San Francisco client has just become the first to order a new Polynesianstyle home featuring Indonesian woods and thatching. These homes also use weavings, carvings, furniture, pots and other handcrafted elements from the island of Bali, where the company has a partner overseeing production and shipping.

Clients can customize Built-toShip houses in the countless ways they might any other home—the configuration of bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen and living space, lights, tiles, color schemes, appliances, furnishings and any number of other individual touches.

The only “limitation,” says Dobrotin, is if someone wants a very large, complex home, with lots of special features. In this case they would likely be

directed to the company’s custom home division rather than Built-to-Ship.

The largest panelized project has been close to 2,600 square feet, including 800 square feet of decking, and typically the homes are single-story, although there’s a two-story home in Tahoe.

“We try to encourage people to go small,” says Cronshaw, lamenting the ongoing escalation in the size of American homes and the consequent rising costs of building, heating, cooling and maintaining these mansions.

The next step is a serious study of the site, including visits at different times of day, to determine where best to position the house. Cronshaw has even been known to spend nights on properties to experience first-hand where the sun rises, how the prevailing winds blow and what areas are shaded by vegetation.

Such attention to detail reflects this award-winning company’s role as a leader in “green” building. Allen Associates follows an environmentally sensitive approach embracing everything from making use of solar heat and cooling breezes, to using sustainable and safe building materials to create a healthy home.

Green features may include solar water heaters, natural air ventilation, cork or bamboo flooring, and non-toxic paints and adhesives. Tankless water heaters are standard and clients often 37

Cottage, ranch and plantation styles each feature unique materials and attention to detail.

choose to pay a little extra for timber harvested from sustainable forests.

In the same spirit, the company was involved in the first—and so far only—Sunset Magazine Breezehouse in Santa Barbara. Designed by Bay Area architect Michelle Kaufmann, this ecofriendly, modular home is prefabricated at a factory in Tacoma, Washington.

Karen Feeney, Green Resources Manager for Allen Associates, says they prepared the Santa Barbara site on Pedregosa Street and were responsible for the foundation, the breeze space connecting the two sections of the main house, the garage, decking, and a lot of the finish work.

Even in Santa Barbara, where regulators can be notoriously picky, Built-to-Ship homes, with their small footprint, have tended to skate through the planning process. “These homes have pretty straightforward, simple designs; plus, they’re very unobtrusive and efficient,” Dobrotin says.

The bare bones, trucked to the site and ready to assemble on a concrete foundation, may include panelized walls with doorways and windows in them, pre-cut floors, pre-cut rafters and beams, and decking.

These shell materials typically cost between $70 and $85 per square foot. The structure erected on a concrete foundation, looking like a house though not finished inside, could run between $115 and $140 per square foot.

Costs are determined by how much of the work Allen Associates does and how much owners want to do. “We’re very flexible,” says Dobrotin. “The customer can do it or we’ll do all of it. That often depends on the buyer’s budget.”

Cronshaw says a fully-finished, modest home might cost $220 to $250 per square foot, compared to between $300 and $325 for traditional construction. Built-to-Ship is also much faster— a panelized home typically takes four to six months from permitting to completion, half the time needed for regular construction.

Frank Nelson is a business reporter for the Santa Barbara News-Press 38

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uilt-to-Ship is by no means a new concept—pre-cut, flat-shipped homes were transported around the globe well over a century ago.

One of the most notable surviving examples, the Cooley House, now carefully restored and modernized, remains a family residence 135 years after it was first hammered together.

Title records trace the home’s origins back to Edward Gillett, a drayman, who is thought to have had the house built around 1874. In 1920, it was bought by Adrian and Mary Cooley and it remained in the Cooley family for the next 60 years.

The building was originally located on East de la Guerra Street on what became the grounds of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. In 1962, the Santa Barbara Historical Society bought the house, though Mrs. Cooley continued living there until her death in 1980.

After that, the house was mostly occupied by museum staff. However, its condition gradually deteriorated and by 2002, when the city wanted to treat ground contamination (dating back to early gas works on the site), the building was threatened with demolition.

That’s when Roger Haines, a local architecture and history enthusiast, stepped forward to save the building and, at the same time, provide a home for his son’s family.

Haines paid $100 for the old home after the historical society agreed to pay the cost of moving it to his property on West Victoria Street.

It was cut into three pieces and trucked across Santa Barbara while the city slept.

Haines spent about three years and an estimated $300,000 restoring the old place and adding a kitchen, laundry room and bathroom—modern comforts not found in the original Cooley House.

Haines says the home’s exterior sidings are first growth redwood: the framing, rafters and joists are Douglas-fir; the original roof, now long gone, was cedar shingles.

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tice at that time was to fell trees, bundle logs together and float them down rivers to San Francisco.

The timber would then have been milled and pre-cut before being shipped by steamer to Santa Barbara. There it would have been unloaded at Stearns Wharf (a deep water wharf built in 1872 for just such shipments) and taken by horse and wagon about a mile to the construction site.

The railway did not reach Santa Barbara until 1887, and The Cooley House local historian John today Woodward pointed out that before the wharf was built, there was no way to They wrote that Sears, Roebuck land timber. “They used to throw it and Company, of Chicago, was, for overboard on the incoming tide and more than three decades, the “most pick it out of the surf,” he said. prolific designer and manufacturer

Woodward, who chairs the of prefabricated housing anywhere in Santa Barbara County Historic Land- the world.” marks Advisory Commission, said Between 1908 and 1940, Sears that around 1850, when the city’s sold more than 100,000 mail-order first streets were being surveyed, all homes. The company gave buyers a the structures were made of adobe choice of almost 450 different modbecause there was no easy access to els, which were delivered in kits of up lumber. to 30,000 numbered pieces, complete

At about the time the Cooley with detailed instruction manuals.

House was built, Santa Barbara was In the last century, Walter Grochanging from a Hispanic settlement pius, of the famed German Bauhaus into an American town, a process Group, shipped insulated, copperlargely driven by improved access to walled houses to the fledgling state timber, which opened up new con- of Israel. He began designing transstruction techniques and architec- portable houses in 1923. At the same tural styles. time, Pierre Jeanneret Prouve was

Homes like the Cooley House sending lightweight steel-panelized were the forerunners of a wave of pre- homes to the tropics. After Gropius cut and kit-set homes that, picked out immigrated to the U.S., he collaboof catalogs and tailored to suit all tastes rated with Konrad Wachman, a newer and budgets, swept across America in immigrant, on packaged houses. The the early 20th century. designs were purchased and manufa This period was documented at cured by a Burbank, CA company, but an exhibition last year at New York’s they failed due to technical problems.

Museum of Modern Art—”Home Today we have better materiDelivery: Fabricating the Modern als and technology, allowing for the Dwelling”—and in an accompanying comeback of panelized housing. book of the same title by Barry Berg—Frank Nelson doll and Peter Christensen.

RETRO

Everything Old is New

39

INVESTMENTS

Buy and Build? Or Lease and Release?

Investing in any real estate requires a leap of faith—here’s the case for homesteading a “parking space.”

T

he sweeping views. The coveted address. The artists in residence.

The $10 million-dollar Tuscan villa next door. Ah, southern California real estate. Only the threefoot tall posts at every street corner guiding the next truck driver’s 6:00 a.m. pre-fab delivery says you aren’t in Kansas anymore.

Tucked inside many of California’s more high-falutin’ zip codes, mobile home parks are an affordable little secret enjoyed for decades by their clever residents. If real estate’s mantra is location, location, location, it would seem your choices under a million bucks in Malibu, Santa Barbara, Calabasas, Palm Springs or Pacific Palisades would be limited. Or are they?

“Clients looking to buy in mobile home parks can be entertainment industry executives, writers looking for a peaceful retreat, a young family on a budget or retirees wanting a view,” explains a local real estate agent. “The investment is in the lifestyle. So, whether the land is leased or owned, these properties are for people who follow the beat of their own drummer”—and know a cool lifestyle when they see one.

When it comes to investments, everyone is rethinking their steps.

Doing your homework and analyzing the median home price trends in ritzy enclaves doesn’t take a college degree. Even when the market prices drop, traditionally desirable regions retain their value “status” in relationship to neighboring cities. Frankly, with so many mobile home parks nestled beside seven-figure gated communities, it’s a wonder they haven’t been gobbled up to become 40

some movie star’s backyard tennis stadium.

Why buy now? Value. Mobile home park Paradise Cove in Malibu has ocean view pre-fabs on the market for $400,000 to $2.0 million and you lease the land. Neighboring homes in celebrity-studded Malibu Colony—$5 million plus—a pretty good example of the “location” concept.

On the other hand, at mobile park Top O’ Topanga in Topanga Canyon, jet-liner view properties range from $400,000 to $700,000 and you own the land. Next door, Calabasas view estates are $2 million plus. Current values notwithstanding, don’t forget Will Roger’s words of wisdom: “Buy land. They ain’t making anymore of the stuff.”

Why in a park? Why claim what essentially is a parking space as your piece of the American Dream?

It’s the most affordable gig in town, both in terms of initial investment and monthly sustainability. The better communities, of which there are many, are virtually crime-free: children peddle bikes and octogenarians tool around in golf carts without anxiety. It offers a rich and varied microcosm of life, with many generations and a wide swath of income ranges all side-by-side.

Why build? And why pre-fab?

Customize to your heart’s content.

You can have the dream house you’ve been designing in your mind’s eye for between $125 and $195 a square foot. Factory-built structures are actually more sound than site-built—after all, it has to withstand the move to its permanent location. And yes, modular can become permanent; “mobile” need not apply.

It’s green. Pre-fabs, modulars or manufactured homes can be smoothly planted on existing lots.

Not only is your environmental impact practically zero by building on a previously developed lot, you are reducing site-built waste by more than forty percent with a factory-built home.

Let’s face it: if financial genius and Bill Gates’ idol Warren Buffet started snapping up manufactured housing factories back in 2004, you have to know it’s the next big thing.

It’s time-efficient. Obviously the construction process is faster when each trade is working on your home simultaneously. Depending on your level of customization, concept to move-in ranges from six to twelve months. Most of the time-absorbing permit process is eliminated at the front end of the project. “Before a factory even thinks about ordering the material needed to build your home, they must first have a set of state approved plans,” states Anthony Ujueta from Structural Consultants.

Additionally, construction is continually approved along the way so final permits generally can be pulled over the counter, saving not only time but thousands of dollars.

The only challenge ahead? Embracing some of your neighbors’ original structures. To say the architecture is a “mixed bag” would be gentle. Just wait it out; eventually the property will change hands. Better yet—lead by example. Create a curb-cute home that increases the value of your community and encourages your neighbors to re-arrange those gnomes.

Dawn Moore writes for C Magazine and Santa Barbara Magazine.

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Photo by Brent Winebrenner

By Dawn Moore

Why buy now? Value. Paradise Cove in Malibu has ocean view pre-fabs on the market for $400,000—and you lease the land.

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OPEN ROAD

M

onterey is a small (Pop. 26,674) California coastal city but its salty ambiance looms large, including Cannery Row of author John Steinbeck fame, popular Fisherman’s Wharf, Gaspar Portola’s 1770 Presidio and the world-famous Monterey Aquarium. Visitors flock to Monterey’s wonderful mixture of shops, museums, galleries and restaurants. The charming town’s architecture harks back to when it was the capital of Alta California under Spain, Mexico and America.

WHAT TO DO Make a bee-line for lunch on Fisherman’s Wharf and take your pick of restaurants with menus ranging from fresh seafood to tasty Italian dishes. Monterey Bay Aquarium displays 550 species of marine life. Del Monte Center offers 35 shops and restaurants. Not to be missed is the picturesque 17-mile coastal drive.

—Barney Brantingham 42

Monterey

WHERE TO STAY

Best Western Beach Resort On the beach 2600 Sand Dunes Dr. 93940 800-242-8627 Portola Hotel & Spa Steps from the wharf Two Portola Plaza 93940 866-711-1217 Otter Inn Near the Aquarium 571 Wave St. 93940 800-375-2299

Where to Eat

Abalonetti Seafood Trattoria Italian chow too 57 Fisherman’s Wharf 831-373-1851 The Fish Hopper Over the Water 700 Cannery Row 831-372-8543 Fresh Cream Acclaimed French Country Cuisine 100-C Heritage Hrbr, 99 Pacific St. 831-375-9798

Schooner’s Bistro on the Bay Great ocean views Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa 831-372-2628

MOBILE HOME PARKS

Seaside Mobile Estates (98 spaces) 1146 Birch Ave Seaside, CA 93955 831-394-0700 Trailer Terrace Mobile Home Park (71 spaces) 1206 la Salle Ave Seaside, CA 93955 831-392-1934 Monarch Pines Mobile Home Park (102 spaces) 700 Briggs Ave. Pacific Grove 93950 831-375-0220

FOR MORE INFO

www.montereyinfo.org www.monterey.org/tourism www.pacificgrove-worldweb.com Upw a rdly

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UPSCALE

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IN THE PARK

Off the Beaten Path Close by, but a world away— the havasu palms Mobile home Resort

H

avasu Palms. The name conjures up visions of relaxing in a gently swaying hammock, cold drink in hand, soft breezes rustling overhead palm fronds. Whispers of distant music melding with the gentle lap of waves against the shore lull the senses into contentment.

All this is available at Havasu Palms Mobile Home Resort on Lake Havasu, but there’s more. Located on a raised spit of land curving out into the lake, many of the homes are perched high on a sloping bluff with a panoramic lake view. Others overlook the sheltered marina where boat owners can safely leave their boats in a handy slip, ready at a moment’s notice for a leisurely cruise, early morning water ski or an afternoon of fishing in a quiet bay.

In cooler winter weather, ATV fans can uncover their quads and explore the countless miles of picturesque canyons and washes adjacent to the park on the inland side. The land belongs to the Chemehuevi Indian tribe, as does the park, so exploring natural caves and hiking around exotic rock formations are all a part of the resort’s activities.

But wait, there’s more. Those fortunate enough to own their own airplanes can fly in and land on the private airstrip.

While these amenities make Havasu Palms sound

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like a haven for the rich and famous, almost the opposite is true. While some of the 140 occupied home sites enjoy lake shore access or magnificent views, most are modest singleor double-wide family-oriented units and display few signs of ostentation.

The park landscaping is rustic, making use of rocks and desert materials. Many of the homes have adopted Native American motifs and display metal lizards and Kokopelli figures mounted on their exteriors. Porches and outside living spaces are furnished with casual outdoor furniture. The look and feel is comfortable.

The reason this park has retained its homey, retreat status is the eight mile stretch of gravel access road, minimally-maintained and no more than one car wide in some places. In low areas, where it follows the path of a dry wash, a heavy rainstorm can render it impassable. A fourwheel-drive vehicle is ideal and shortens the driving time, but an ordinary car can handle it with careful driving.

Havasu Palms residents have learned to relax while bumping along on their way to the resort. They simply accept that driving into town will take all morning and they plan their lives accordingly. The exotic desert scenery along the way is almost surreal and often there will be a sighting of wild donkeys, which thrive on the Indian land.

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photos by audrey Moe, iStockphoto and courtesty Havasu palms

by audrey MOe

For those who only come on weekends or for a vacation, the time-consuming drive is quickly forgotten. After a stop at the marina store for more sunscreen, a hat, or that bag of chips left off the shopping list, settling into their compact unit to watch the lake activity from deck chairs on the porch can seem like pure heaven. Cooking dinner may not even be necessary if the plan is to take the speed boat into Havasu City for dinner and an evening out.

The key to the peaceful and laid back atmosphere is the park’s location off the main highway. Residents recognize the scenic drive is often rough, but it guards the serenity of their living spaces—and that feeling is spread around. When they need to leave, they place some greens and fruit in the wooden trough they’ve named the “Donkey Diner” to help out the other residents of the area—the wild donkeys.

As the donkeys relax at the trough, the resident returns to the bumps and bustle of everyday life outside Havasu Palms.

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Secluded and serene: Havasu Palms is picturesque from the air (which is one way to get there). ATVs play a role, though boats prevail. And don’t forget to feed the donkeys!

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UPGRADE

How To “Cozyfi” Your Classic!

By Meredith Day

W

e love our classic homes. It really doesn’t get any more affordable than a classic mobile home in a nice park community!

New manufactured homes are now built at or above code for private property dwellings. They offer thick insulation, thermal doublepane windows, convection heat and air systems, and more.

Homes built prior to the 80s tend to have little insulation in the thin walls and may have joints that have loosened over the years, allowing warm air to escape in the winter.

Whether you want to stay with your classic home out of love or budget, there are many things you can do to “cozyfi” your home for winter and summer.

SUMMER

AIR FLOW In the summer you need high, open windows at each end of the home so the hot air can exit. Open the windows to the breeze so it can work as a natural air conditioner, blowing the hot air out.

AC EFFICIENCY If you must use air conditioning, be sure that you have a high window cracked about one inch; your AC bill will be lower.

OVERHANG In the summer, make sure that you have some kind of cover or overhang on the east and west windows. The cover can be a fixed porch, canvas awning or a nice trellis of bougainvillea.

Another solution is to apply solar film on east and west exposure windows. This can make a tremendous difference in the classic homes.

WINTER COZYFICATION In the days of Camelot, drafty castles were protected from the cold with tapestry wall hangings, thick rugs, heavy velvet draperies and huge fireplaces. We have many more options today!

In the older classic homes, settling can occur, causing 46

heat loss. Inspect your home and fill all obvious chinks in the “armor”! The classic homes were constructed with 2x2s instead of 2x4s in the walls—much less insulation! For winter, heavier thermal drapes to the floor can make a big difference.

COLLECTOR WINDOWS In the northern hemisphere, the winter sun travels in the south. The best and cheapest way to heat a home in the winter is to have good “passive collector” windows in the south and efficient insulation in the other walls.

In a drafty classic, consider adding a few southern windows for passive heat. It is amazing what the southern exposure can do to make the home warmer. A carport or porch awning to the west (over existing windows) can make a really significant heat reduction.

CLOSE THOSE VENTS! Be sure to close all heating/AC vents in unused rooms! Heat the room you are in rather than heating the whole house so you can be warm in one or two rooms! A well placed space heater can be much cheaper than running the furnace.

Celebrate affordable Cozyfication! We all win!

Author and architectural designer Meredith Day has authored several books, including “How To Buy and Sell Mobile and Manufactured Homes.” She lectures at colleges on “Efficient Innovation in Manufactured Housing.”

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Illustration City Creative Group

The biggest issue in the summer is, of course, heat.

You need airflow and overhang to combat the brutal heat that can build up in the older, less insulated homes.

TRAI LE R TRA S H TALES playing around. I’ve had quite enough drama in my life.”

“Haven’t we all!” Pearl emphasizes. “I’m not sure the peeper would want to see the show going on at my house!”

“Mine either!” Marge agrees.

“Do you know who the peeper is?”

Doris laughs heartily. “Guess!”

“I have no idea, Doris.” Pearl answers.

Marge pipes in, “I wish it was Johnny Depp! He can come by my house any time.”

Doris finally spills the beans.

“It’s Mister Ed.” “Ed who?” asks Pearl. “I don’t know any Eds.” “Doris, what are you talking about? Are you getting loopy from caffeine again?” questions Marge.

“No.” Doris continues to snicker. “Like Mister Ed. You know.

The horse, remember?”

“We have a peeping Tom horse in the park?” Pearl asks, bewildered. Marge’s expression is almost in unison with Pearl’s.

“Really!” Doris insists. “I’m not making it up. You girls know Cindy on the next block, right?”

Pearl nods yes while Marge shrugs but motions for Doris to continue.

“Well, one night, I think last week, Cindy was changing for bed and she heard a shuffling outside

FOR YOUR FILES

(continued from page 48)

her window. Ya know, her husband is out of town a lot these days. I think he works for the military or something. Anyway, she was startled and yanked back her blinds. She told me she saw these big, scary eyes glaring right at her.

She was so terrified she doesn’t even remember dialing 9-1-1. The police showed up with guns drawn and everything, to find some big, lost horse steaming up Cindy’s windows!”

“A horse. Really?” asks Marge.

“I guess that’s not completely impossible. Is she sure that it wasn’t her husband trying to be sneaky by checking on her?”

“It was a horse. Seriously!”

Doris convinces. “I guess it wandered off some farm nearby and has been wandering up any porch it can get up, trying to find someone to feed it.”

“What did they do with it?”

Pearl inquires.”Did they find out who the poor thing belongs to?”

“Hold on and I’ll tell you what I know. I have to get some water.” With expert timing, Doris disappears into the house, providing her audience with a dramatic pause.

(continued from page 12)

Prior to doing anything, a package must be submitted to the local Building and Safety Department for a permit to install the home.

This is done by your contractor.

• Park Community. Generally the procedure for a new home in a park community is a quick over-the-counter process. The space already has utilities and is already permitted to contain a home. In this case, there will be an initial permit and an inspection for the allowance of a “Certificate of Occupancy.”

PriVate ProPerty This is a longer process. A complete submittal package has to be turned in to the Building and Safety department. The property owner may be asked to install such things as large water tanks and fire hydrants. Prior to planning your purchase, go to the Building and Safety office in your area and ask them for a list of the permits necessary to put a new home on your property.

M o b i l e

to assure your continued delivery of

onnAH RoLL is a graduate of California Institute of the Arts. Her poetry has been published in Sentenial.

PerMits

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Go To UMHMaG.CoM aNd CliCK oN “SUbSCribe” (you can also purchase back issues!)

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TRAI LE R TRA S H TALES

By Onnah Roll

Episode Four The Human Element or the Pink Elephant, (whichever way you’d like to look at it)

T

hree ladies sit on the porch of a pre-fab castle sipping weak coffee and smoking strong cigarettes. Betty, a disabled woman from the end of the street, has just left after bringing the Ladies some grapefruit she got through a Food Bank.

Betty is not ashamed to accept free food.

Whenever she has cash on hand, she leaves a donation and she puts every morsel they provide her with to good use. Whatever she doesn’t like or has too much of she gives to someone who is unable to get to a Food Bank or who is too proud to accept help from strangers.

After Betty is gone, the Ladies dive into another chat about the mobile home park newsletter. The newsletter is always entertaining to the Ladies: a “comedy of errors” in their opinion.

“The new playground’s finally done,” Marge comments.

“Great!” says Pearl. “I’ll just hobble right on over there and give the see-saws a try. Honestly, I don’t know why they have to spend more money on things like that when they should be fixing the sewage problem they’re always blaming us for.”

“Yeah,” pipes in Doris. “Of course, we are the problem residents, don’t forget,” she adds sarcastically. “I don’t like being treated like trailer trash.”

“Oh, I’m trailer trash, white trash, whatever! I think it’s funny,” laughs Marge, without a smile.

Doris continues, “It is kind of funny if you know there are people who live here who have plenty of money. These homes aren’t cheap these days—not ‘trashy’ at all.”

“Let’s not forget how much rent is these days and that you have to give up your first born in order to be accepted into this ever-so-fancy neighborhood,” adds Marge, laughing, smile included.

The Ladies laugh as they poor themselves more coffee and hand the condiments back and forth.

“Our house was a disaster when we moved in,” Doris says. I’m not even gonna tell you what we spent fixing it up!”

“Well, your house is beautiful now!” says Pearl. “You’re so good at decorating.

Have you seen her new cabinets?” she asks Marge.

“Yes. Wow, they look nice!” answers Marge with a far-off look in her eye. “My place is trash.”

“Come on. It’s fine, and you could fix it up to look really nice. You’re creative.” encourages Doris. (Doris is the one-woman pep-squad among the Ladies and others, often encouraging them to do things they think they can not.)

“I’m not creative with decorating so much for some reason. But I have some ideas. I’ll get around to it one of these days.”

“Just like I’ll get around to the playground,” teases Pearl. “But seriously I’m glad the kids around here have new things to play on. I saw a few playing in the dumpster the other day. Not very safe!”

“Ick! And pretty disgusting!” adds Doris as she empties the ashtrays. “Have either of you seen the peeping Tom that’s been wandering around the park?”

“Now that I think of it, I have heard some strange sounds at night. Creepy!”

Marge shudders as she breaks into a verse of “Let Me Entertain You,” lazily mimicking a strip tease. “I’m just (continued on page 47)

A Writer’s Note: Though some of the characters in these tales, and some of the tales themselves, have been inspired by people who are very dear to me, they are works of fiction. Undoubtedly, readers will come to find that certain characters and/or events resemble themselves and their experiences in life or those of people in their community. Is there anyone who has not recognized a piece of themselves in what they read or the movies they have seen? This is the human element. Warning! Relating these tales to one’s own life may cause some readers to finally acknowledge the pink elephant that has been sitting so patiently in their own family living room. More power to you! However you choose to look at these tales, I sincerely hope you will enjoy some laughs.—Onnah 48

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LAST LOOK

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. —George Moore Untitled photo

by Anonymous This picture was found at a garage sale—the seller had no information about who took it or where it was taken. Do you know? Tell us!

Email us at: toni@umhmag.com.

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