Samara, a California builder known for its accessory dwelling unit (ADU) models, has launched Locale by Samara, an expansion into small-scale single-family infill developments, the company announced. The builder will design and construct clusters of detached homes in existing neighborhoods in Sonoma, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties.
Each Locale project will consist of a small group of homes — typically between two and 10 — tailored to the surrounding streetscape. The homes will be precision-built with higher-end materials and laid out around contemporary living patterns for families and remote or hybrid workers.
Many Locale projects are expected to rely on California’s Starter Home Revitalization Act (SB 1123), which streamlines approvals to allow eligible parcels to be subdivided for up to 10 small-footprint homes. The law is viewed by housing advocates and planners as one of the most significant supply-side measures California has adopted in recent years. Samara is among the early builders lining up projects under the new framework.
California jurisdictions face mounting pressure to meet state housing targets, particularly in job-rich coastal counties that have added far fewer homes than required. Santa Clara County, with 1.9 million residents, needs more than 100,000 additional homes by 2031 to meet current and projected demand. But fewer than 4,000 homes were built there in 2024, including less than 400 detached single-family units, according to the company.
Local governments often struggle to add single-family supply because land and construction costs favor large, high-priced homes. Samara’s model instead centers on smaller infill clusters with higher-quality, rightsized homes on compact lots located in high-demand neighborhoods. Its prices aim to broaden access compared with traditional new construction.
“Our homes are part of a movement to ensure California remains a place where families can dream about their futures,” Mike McNamara, CEO and co-founder of Samara, said in a statement. “This expansion is about making more homes possible, closer to where people want to live, work, and build their lives.”
The first Locale project, in Healdsburg in Sonoma County, includes two single-family homes, each paired with an accessory dwelling unit. The company said the design reflects buyer preference for smaller, design-forward homes in prime locations rather than larger homes in outlying areas.
McNamara said neighborhoods that stop building new homes risk losing the population growth that supports schools, local retailers and community institutions. Locale by Samara is aimed at adding modest amounts of new housing in built-out areas so price growth and scarcity do not gradually push out the very households that sustain those communities, he said.
This article was generated using HousingWire Automation and reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.
