Ten months after the devastating Eaton Fire, which destroyed 6,000 homes in Altadena and surrounding areas, Genesis Builders is offering solutions for affected residents. This joint venture between Cityview and Montage Development aims to streamline the rebuilding process, providing fixed pricing and guaranteed timelines to help homeowners recover.
Key Takeaways
- Genesis Builders offers a complete rebuild process for Eaton Fire victims.
- The company provides fixed pricing and a 16-month construction guarantee.
- Six pre-approved home plans are available in four architectural styles.
- Fire resistance is a key design priority, exceeding California safety codes.
- Demand for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) is high among rebuilding homeowners.
Rebuilding After the Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire, which occurred in January, left a significant impact on the Altadena community. Thousands of residents lost their homes, leading to a complex and often stressful rebuilding challenge. Genesis Builders has stepped in to simplify this process for many.
The company, a collaboration between Cityview, a real estate investment manager based in Century City, and Montage Development, located in Calabasas, focuses on providing a comprehensive solution. This includes everything from initial planning to final construction, with a focus on transparency and efficiency.
Sean Burton, CEO of Cityview, stated,
“Genesis is the start of something new… We’re really trying to help people start over.”This sentiment highlights the company's goal to support a fresh start for those impacted by the disaster.
Eaton Fire Impact
- 6,000 homes destroyed in Altadena and nearby areas.
- Many homeowners face expiring mortgage forbearance and relocation assistance.
- Genesis Builders aims to provide stability with fixed costs and timelines.
Streamlined Home Design and Construction
Genesis Builders offers six pre-approved home plans. These plans are available in four distinct architectural styles: Mediterranean, traditional, craftsman, and bungalow. This provides homeowners with a total of 24 design options.
The company also manages necessary site surveys, including geotechnical reports and civic plans tailored to each specific lot. This integrated approach aims to reduce the complexity for individual homeowners.
Devang Shah, a principal at Genesis, explained that the designs were developed based on an analysis of the homes destroyed. Approximately two-thirds of the lost homes ranged from 1,000 to 2,500 square feet. Genesis's designs span from 1,250 to 2,200 square feet, reflecting these common sizes.
“Our designs were really based on an understanding of what was destroyed and the lot configurations in Altadena,” Shah said. “That shaped and informed our product development.”
Shah also clarified that while plans are pre-approved, Genesis maintains flexibility. They work with clients to incorporate important personal preferences within reasonable limits.
About Genesis Builders
Genesis Builders is a joint venture. It combines the real estate investment management expertise of Century City-based Cityview with the development capabilities of Calabasas-based Montage Development. This partnership brings together resources to address the large-scale rebuilding needs in Altadena.
Fixed Pricing and Timelines Offer Security
A core element of Genesis's strategy is providing fixed pricing and clear timelines. Base prices for homes range from $670,000 to $880,000. This translates to a cost of $400 to $536 per square foot.
Rebecca Zandovskis, Senior Director of Business Development at Genesis, emphasized the importance of this approach. With mortgage forbearance programs ending and relocation assistance expiring, a predictable and swift rebuild process offers much-needed security to residents.
Zandovskis herself lost her home in Altadena to the fire and is rebuilding with Genesis. She shared her personal experience, noting that exploring custom rebuilding felt like being "thrown into a financial whirlwind." Through Genesis, she can fund her rebuild using insurance payouts, an SBA disaster loan, and a portion of her savings.
“My home was my retirement. I don’t come from wealth so it was everything for me, for my future,” Zandovskis stated. “I don’t think my co-workers realized they literally saved my future; they saved [my] retirement.”
Strategies for Cost Reduction
Genesis employs several methods to keep prices affordable. They leverage existing relationships between Cityview and Montage with long-term subcontractors. This helps reduce margins by emphasizing the social benefit of community rebuilding.
The company also collaborates with state and local officials. This includes efforts to waive permit fees and relax certain costly requirements, such as those for battery backup and solar power. Furthermore, building multiple units at once creates economies of scale.
Burton explained,
“As opposed to building one unit at a time, we’re able to bring pricing down by building multiple units at a time and getting those economies of scale and savings that we’re able to pass on to the homeowner.”
Pre-approving home plans with L.A. County also expedites the process, saving both time and money. Stephen Ross, President and CEO of Montage Development, highlighted the importance of preventing homeowners from being forced to sell their land due to unexpected costs.
“A lot of people that we picked up as clients started with a design build, and they were told X price per square foot. Now it’s X plus $100 and then there’s another $50, and they just can’t afford it,” Ross said. “So I don’t want them to sell their land because they think they can’t afford to buy a house.”
Enhanced Fire Resistance and ADU Demand
For residents rebuilding after a fire, fire resistance is a primary concern. Ross confirmed that this was the number one issue raised by homeowners. Genesis has integrated advanced fire-resistant techniques into all its home plans.
These features include:
- Class A fire-rated roofing materials and flashing.
- Installed fire sprinklers.
- Fire and ember-resistant eaves, gutters, and foundation vents.
- Dual-glazed windows.
- Fire-resistant and non-combustible exterior finishes, decks, patios, and porches.
- A 5-foot defensible space around each home.
- Stucco siding and concrete slabs.
“Our mentality with everything was to make sure that we do our best to rebuild a home that will hopefully not burn down again,” Ross stated.
Shah added that these plans exceed California building codes for fire safety, providing an extra layer of protection for new homes.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
In addition to primary home plans, Genesis offers designs for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These include two 800-square-foot units and one 528-square-foot unit, also available in all four architectural styles.
ADU costs are approximately $240 per square foot for a two-bedroom unit and $350 per square foot for a one-bedroom unit. As of last week, Genesis had signed eight rebuilding contracts, with four of these including an ADU.
Among the more than two dozen households working with Genesis but not yet signed, approximately two-thirds expressed interest in adding an ADU. Ross described the demand for ADUs as "tremendous."
Oren Amir, owner of Go Home Builders, a Pasadena-based contractor specializing in ADUs, confirmed this trend. He noted that in 2018, L.A. County issued between 1,000 and 2,000 ADU permits. This year, that number has already reached 14,000 permits.
ADUs offer various benefits, including generating rental income, housing family members, or providing flexible living space. Amir emphasized that adding an ADU during a rebuild is a "no-brainer" because it leverages existing material and labor costs, increasing property value.
“If you’re already going through a rebuild, that means you already have material and labor [at your expense] so it makes sense to build an ADU at the same time because the price will decrease compared to doing it separately,” Amir said. “It’s a no-brainer to have this investment, put it behind the house and actually gain some value out of it.”
Commitment to Design Quality and Community
Genesis Builders is soon opening a local storefront in Altadena. This will allow clients to meet team members, view material samples, and discuss design options in person. This initiative aims to provide a more personal and tangible experience for homeowners facing significant decisions.
Zandovskis highlighted the emotional aspect of rebuilding.
“Rebuilding a home from a fire is one of the biggest decisions with an emotional backing attached to it too,” she said. “So we want people to see us, shake our hands, sit down and have a conversation with us… and we want to be able to bring that to the community, rather than [ask them to come to us].”
Clients will be able to see and touch design elements firsthand, including engineered wood (instead of vinyl) and high-end Spanish tile. Zandovskis anticipates that the quality of materials will surprise clients.
“It’s one thing to see something on paper or on a computer screen. It’s another thing to actually see it live and in person,” she stated. “…That’s a big part of it, to see the quality and that Genesis isn’t just fast and inexpensive, but it’s also very well built, and it’s nicer than anything I’ve ever had in any of my homes.”
Both Zandovskis and Ross expect homeowners to be impressed by the material choices. Shah summarized the company's core philosophy:
“Our focus has been to drive the cost of building these homes as low as we can without sacrificing quality and fire resistance standards.”He concluded,
“The impetus really started from wanting to reverse engineer the challenges and the pitfalls of typical construction.”
