Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 19, 2011

16

HOMES AND PROPERTY

 Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 19, 2011 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people whoe create them Story and Photos By Chris Bertrand 


Xerox Lends Habitat A Corporate Hand… For a Year!

Paul McAnnally-
Linz Joins San 
Gabriel Valley 
Habitat for Humanity
Monrovian, Paul 
McAnnally-Linz, has 
been a Xerox employee 
since the fall of 1983. 
He applied last year for 
the company’s Social Service Leave program 
when Xerox invited its employees to submit 
proposals for community involvement projects.
Linz says, “Xerox initiated the program in the 
1970’s, acknowledging that donating money 
wasn’t a difficult thing for them at the time. 
But letting their top people go (out for a year 
on service projects) was more of a sacrifice.”

“There’s no formal relationship between 
Xerox and SGV Habitat,” he continued. “My 
project is one of seven Xerox is supporting 
across the country in 2011. Another Xerox 
employee is going on social service leave for 
a similar kind of organization, Hacienda, in 
North Portland, bringing affordable housing 
to the local Hispanic community there. Yet 
another colleague will build a community 
greenhouse in the San Francisco Bay area 
that will provide the opportunity for special 
needs individuals to build their own micro 
businesses. There are also fabulous projects 
working with at risk youth in Chicago, re 
invigoration homes in Washington DC and 
planting Scout troops in poorer sections rural 
Kentucky and Indiana.”

When asked why he chose Habitat for 
Humanity, Linz chuckles, “I have been 
‘infected’ by the Habitat concept of getting 
people into housing they own, so I applied in 
September, 2010, and was notified in December 
that I had been approved to work at the San 
Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity for 2011.”
During the year Linz will take on construction 
management, drawing on his Xerox project 
management and real estate experience 
which included moving the Xerox office form 
Monrovia to El Segundo last year.

Sonja Yates, the Executive Director of SGV 
Habitat, commented “When the opportunity 
came up in August last year Paul and I 
strategized together to come up with a winning 
proposal. We (SGV Habitat) have two very 
ambitious projects on our plate right now, in 
addition to some smaller ones. We’re in pre-
development for five condo homes on Geneva 
Street in Glendale, and will break ground on 
March 5th. Paul will be the day in and day out 
site manager. His work at Xerox focused on 
logistics and on time delivery. He’s the perfect 
person to help us streamline our construction 
processes so we can touch more lives by 
building more homes.”

The second project is another “animal” 
all together, but also draws from Linz’s 
strengths in process development. He will 
work on the public benefit conveyance for 
the next Habitat project at the Desiderio 
Army Reserve Center in Pasadena.
Located below the Old Colorado Street bridge; 
the land where the Army Reserve Center 
sits was made surplus as a part of the 2005 
Base Realignment and Closure Commission 
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. 
Linz will spearhead the completion of a 
series of technical documents and processes 
that will lead to obtaining the public benefit 
conveyance of 25% of the 5.17 acre site. 
SGV Habitat will then build nine new 
affordable bungalow homes for successful 
Habitat applicants. The remaining 75% of the 
land will be converted from army barracks 
into park land by the city of Pasadena.
“It’s very complicated, and Paul’s the right 
person to take this on,” smiled Yates. 

When asked about the transition from 
Xerox to Habitat, Linz said, “I feel great about 
it. After 27 years at Xerox, I am enjoying 
Habitat’s different flow and organization, 
and the younger people on the staff, the 
20-somethings have shared their energy and 
zeal. I always put 110% into what I do, but this 
definitely rejuvenates and recharges.”

“It’s always been my desire to retire into 
Habitat, he continued. “This has become the 
trial run. I love my company and appreciate 
the opportunity to represent two great 
organizations, Xerox and San Gabriel Valley 
Habitat for Humanity”. Yates continued 
“It’s extraordinary that even in the difficult 
economic times we all face today, that Xerox 
has continued this service program. We’re 
going to use this time to accomplish the two 
things that are on our local plate for Habitat.”

To volunteer at or donate to the San 
Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, or 
to learn about applying to purchase a 
Habitat home, visit their website at http://
www.sgvhabitat.org or call 626-387-6899.



Paul Linz (R) with two members of Sherman Avenue build families from 2010, Sonya 
(center) and Olga (L) Quiros.

SIERRA MADRE’S 

BEAUTIFUL HOMES ...

If you would like to see an on-line video showing 
78 beautiful homes in Sierra Madre go to youtube.
com and search Sierra Madre California Homes 
Or Sierra Madre’s Beautiful Homes.


Like Moths To A 
Flame!


Have you done your “spring cleaning” yet? If you’re selling your home, it’s essential to take 
care of the details, both inside and out. Since buyers first see your property from the street, 
there are some steps you can take to pique their interest in seeing more.

Obviously, color makes an impact. Emphasize two or three colors in your flowerbeds and 
shrubs, and coordinate your blooms with the seasons, be it spring or summer. Also make 
sure your trees and shrubs are properly sized to the house and grounds, and not blocking any 
of your home’s positive features.

Perfectly maintaining your lawn is critical while you’re listing, since a well-manicured lawn 
powerfully symbolizes your pride of ownership and attention to maintenance. You can 
reduce the time invested in mowing and watering if you can do some simple landscaping 
with rocks, ornamental grasses and drought-tolerant plants.

The sound of water also turns buyers on. Even if you don’t have a pond, you can achieve 
the same effect by installing a small fountain in the front yard, or even running an electric 
fountain on your porch or deck.

Finally, there are a couple of architectural flourishes that add interest, such as colorful window 
boxes, a trellis with flowering vines, or even a pretty new mailbox. Contact your agent for a 
wealth of other ideas to attract buyers.


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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com