Mold Remediation in Hesperia, CA

A master developer is turning over home lots to five builders for the first phase of a massive Southern California project, another example of efforts underway to address the nation's housing shortage.

Lennar, K. Hovnanian, Watt Capital Developers, Woodside Homes and Richmond American Homes plan to build the first 650 single-family houses in Silverwood near the San Bernardino Mountains in Hesperia, California, according to John Ohanian, general manager of the development.

The homes will be priced from the mid-$400,000s to the $700,000s, with the first residents expected to move in by the middle of 2025, he said in an interview.

The ultimate plan for Silverwood calls for the 9,366-acre development to contain 15,663 single-family houses, townhouses and condominiums. The Inland Empire project will take 15 to 20 years to complete, according to Ohanian, who oversees Silverwood for the master developer, a joint venture of DMB Development, Schlegel Land Co. and Beaumont Partners.

"There is virtually no available new home product in this price range in Southern California," Ohanian said. "There is a significant undersupply of housing. There's close to 2 million units the state needs just to fill existing demand."

A lack of rooftops also is a major problem across the country, particularly starter homes, industry analysts say.

Home lot prices and construction costs have increased to the point where companies can't build relatively inexpensive starter homes, leaving a void for new families and young professionals.

What's more, there was so little demand for homes of any kind during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 that land developers drastically cut back on lot preparations, according to Brad Hunter, head of Hunter Housing Economics in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Existing homes limited

"It takes a long time to restart the production of lots once you shut down that machine," Hunter said in an interview.

The supply of existing homes for sale has increased recently, but inventory for buyers has been limited in recent years, in part because homeowners are reluctant to part with historically low mortgage rates obtained during the pandemic and reluctant to sell.

From the Homes.com blog: The 19 Most Popular Types of Homes and House Styles

The Silverwood development, in the Mohave River Valley, is about 20 miles from major employment centers in San Bernardino and nearly 65 miles from Los Angeles. A planned high-speed rail eventually could make a commute to Los Angeles viable for Silverwood residents, according to Ohanian.

An entity tied to Schlegel, part of the Silverwood master development team, bought the site in 2012 out of bankruptcy and assembled the joint venture to serve as master developer, according to Ohanian. It took a decade to address environmental litigation and gain government approvals and permits. The joint venture broke ground in 2022, preparing the land for homebuilders.

Aside from the homes, Silverwood, at an elevation of about 3,200 feet, also plans to include schools and up to 1.5 million square feet of commercial uses. Apartments also are planned, Ohanian said.

It's possible that a few more builders will be added to the mix, but Ohanian said the master developer hopes the five announced companies will build most of the 15,000 homes in the development.

He said interest in Silverwood has far exceeded the joint venture's expectations, with about 1,800 people on a list asking for information about the project.

This article was originally published on Homes.com.

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Hesperia, CA (November 3, 2024) On Friday evening, 5 people were seriously hurt after the fiery traffic accident on Highway 138.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the collision happened at about 9 p.m. on Highway 138.

Reports say that 5 people sustained critical injuries in the severe traffic collision.

Authorities say that two vehicles collided at a sharp curve about 1-2 miles from the I-15 freeway, catching fire on impact.

Emergency teams arrived to find both vehicles engulfed in flames and several injured people on the roadway.

Firefighters quickly assessed the situation, confirming that five individuals were critically injured.

Five ground ambulances were dispatched to transport the victims. Although a medical helicopter was initially called to the scene, the request was later canceled.

As authorities worked to clear the scene, Highway 138 was temporarily closed in both directions.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the collision, and further updates will be provided as they become available.

Millions of people travel by car, bus, bike, and on foot daily. But with the daily hustle comes the risk of traffic accidents that can lead to devastating injuries or loss of life. Whether you’re driving, walking, or cycling, your choices can impact your safety and those around you.

In the United States, over 38,000 people lose their lives to traffic accidents every year. And countless others suffer serious injuries that change their lives forever. But these tragedies are preventable. By practicing safe driving habits, we can reduce accidents and save lives.

Please drive carefully, especially on sharp curves, and follow posted speed limits to help prevent severe accidents. Stay alert and report dangerous driving to local authorities.

After a traffic accident like the traffic accident on Highway 138, your primary focus should be on healing and recovery. Hire a personal injury attorney to take care of the legal complexities for you.

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More details are taking shape on a new California community, complete with thousands of new homes and all the makings of an entirely new town.

The new neighborhood, which has been planned for decades, could eventually include more than 15,000 new homes in the San Bernardino County town of Hesperia, according to the San Bernardino Sun. The first 646 homes should break ground this fall, dotting the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains at 3,200 feet.

Dubbed “Silverwood,” the community will be a joint effort of developers Lennar, Watt Capital Developers, Woodside Homes, Richmond American Homes and K. Hovnanian Homes. New roads and infrastructure are planned to lead to the new area, where potential residents can expect more than 4,000 acres of open space, including parkland and trails, in addition to access to nearby Silverwood Lake. A community center, a new elementary, middle and high school, sports courts and pools are also part of the plans.

The single-family homes will start pricing in the mid-$400,000s and reach as high as the $700,000s, John Ohanian, general manager of Silverwood, told the Sun. “Some people can’t afford Ontario anymore,” he said, referencing the San Bernardino County city about 40 miles south of Hesperia.

Sales are scheduled to begin in 2025.

Home lots are primarily sized between 5,000 and 7,000 square feet. Approximately 300 properties are expected to be completed next year, Ohanian told the Sun. Construction will increase slightly, with 500 homes projected for 2026 and 700 homes annually thereafter.

The Inland Empire’s booming population has been stoking a rise in housing prices for years, making the area considerably less affordable. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area saw a whopping 43.8% increase in list prices since 2019, according to recent data from Realtor.com. In just the past year, prices inched up 4.1% — more than any other of the large California metros Realtor.com tracks — to a median list price of $599,000.

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A medical helicopter in the High Desert in Southern California was grounded Sunday but it wasn't because of weather or mechanical issues. It was due to vandalism.

While the crew rested in the Hesperia Airport hangar, vandals sprayed graffiti on both sides of the helicopter, KCAL reported adding that the green, gold, silver and orange paint even covered the windows.

San Bernardino County fire oficials said wait times for trauma patients will inevitably be increased because of the incident. And, until it's cleared for liftoff again, first responders will be left to rely on Mercy Air ships coming from another location.

Mercy Air officials issued a statement following the incident: "To thoroughly assess and restore the aircraft, we placed the Hesperia Air Medical Base out of service while our local team works diligently to remove the graffiti and inspect for any additional damage. In the meantime, we continue supporting Hesperia and the surrounding High Desert communities with our three other nearby Mercy Air bases."

Angry residents told reporters that with so many bad crashes on the roads leading into, through and out of the area, a matter of minutes can literally mean life or death.

About the Author

Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.

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