Village Homes,
Davis, California

Village Homes, built in the 1970s, is one of America’s most desirable, sustainable and financially successful communities.

Data

  • 70 acres, 240 single family homes & apartments, completed 1981

  • 12 acres greenbelt & open space; 12 acres common agricultural land

  • 4000 SF commercial office space

  • 1995, homes sold for 13% more than equivalent homes.

  • Crime rate 10th for Davis as whole

  • Total return on investment - 30% pa

Design

• Houses clustered in groups of 8 surrounded by common space.

• Twice the density of nearby Sacramento, even with 25% open space

• Passive solar design

• Natural swales saved $800 per lot. Used for parks, walkways, gardens, & amenities. Couldn't convince officials swales would handle stormwater run-off - bond to pay for retrofitting in case they failed. Then 100 year storm - system worked fine, handled run-off from neighbouring subdivisions where conventional storm drains failed.

Transport

• Car access by back lanes. Front streets designed by residents - grass, gardens, barbecue pits.

• Average car ownership 1.8 per household, compared to standard 2.1

• Pedestrian paths, traffic calming, narrow streets, trees, lower air temperature

• Average walk to grocery 10'. Many residents walk to work.

Housing

• Sweat equity program for low-income construction workers

• Homeowners Association owns & manages household commons, greenbelt commons, agricultural lands (orchards & vineyards), community centre.

Community & Food

  • By 1989, much of Village Homes food grown in neighbourhood

  • Annual household bills 1/2 to 1/3rd of surrounding neighbourhoods because of local food and energy saving.

  • Frequent harvest festivals and other gatherings

  • 80% of residents participate in community activities

  • Homeowners Association owns household commons, greenbelt commons, agricultural lands (orchards and vineyards), community centre. Association makes management and financial decisions re open space, recreational facilities, harvesting & distribution of produce, allocation of revenue from office space and rental units

  • Community gardens on west side - portion used for commercial organic growing

  • Villagers pick fruit for breakfast - edible landscape produces oranges, almonds, apricots, pears, grapes, persimmons, peaches, cherries & plums.

Problems

  • Approvals problems - took most direct to City Council, over heads of staff. City Council had 3 environmental activists on it, who did their homework.

  • Local realtors discouraged anyone from visiting. Took them 6 months and rapid sales to change their attitude. Today. Coldwell Banker Residential calls it 'Davis's most desirable subdivision'

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