Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 30, 2011

16


HOMES AND PROPERTY

 Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 30, 2011 

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


LA WATER AUGMENTATION STUDY REVAMPS A NEIGHBORHOOD’S LANDSCAPE & STREETSCAPE TO REDIRECT, 
ABSORB AND FILTER RAIN AND IRRIGATION RUNOFF - 

Recharging our 
groundwater supply 
by capturing and 
filtering stormwater 
and irrigation 
runoff

 
An entire block of Elmer Avenue in Sun Valley 
looks very different today, than it did two years ago, 
due to a test project for the Los Angeles Basic Water 
Augmentation Study (WAS).

WAS began over a decade ago, and is directed by the 
Los and Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed 
Council (LASGWRC). The organization works with 
local, state and federal entities, and received major 
funding for the study from the national Bureau of 
Reclamation, the Department of Water Resources 
and others.

 According to Brian Sheridan, Development and 
Marketing Manager of LASGWRC, “In the pursuit 
of a healthy watershed, our council has become the 
region’s trusted hub for essential watershed research 
and collaboration to influence policy and informed 
care and practice.

An urban, single family home neighborhood in Sun 
Valley was chosen a few years ago, over other blocks 
for this test project, based on favorable interest and 
willingness to participate.

 At the low point and confluence of the area’s natural 
topographical drainage, the area has been plagued 
with flooding during heavy rains, poor original 
runoff management design, and most blocks in the 
neighborhood do not have curbs and gutters.

In resident’s front yards, new swales were created to direct runoff to underground filtering basins under 
the street. New sidewalks and low water landscape was installed between the sidewalks, the new curbs 
and the street’s new drainage system.

 Another key feature of the test project was increased percolation into the aquifer, the natural occurring 
“holding tank” for Los Angeles Water located deep underground. Various paver projects replaced parts 
of walkways to homes, driveways and even parts of the front yards.

Thirteen of the homeowners adopted the option of using a rain barrel catchment system tied to part of 
their home’s gutter system. When it rains, the barrel is automatically filled now, and includes a hose and 
spigot for hand watering using soft rainwater, especially appreciated by plants.

 Homeowners were given a choice of several street trees for installation at their locations. When the 
landscape was complete, written and live training was provided, to teach residents how to care for their 
new landscape. 

According to the WAS report, the study is now processing information gathered about the “water 
quality implications of infiltrating urban runoff, assess the effectiveness of various techniques in 
removing pollutants (like fertilizers), quantify how much stormwater can realistically be captured and 
infiltrated, and other factors, through monitoring stations.

So far they have determined that increasing stormwater reclamation should be a necessary component 
in the recharge of the aquifer using devices and 
practices that remove, reduce, or prevent stormwater runoff and the pollutants carried with it. 

As is a measurable pattern with other neighborhood improvement projects, one improvement 
encourages another. An additional benefit of the project has been ancillary improvements and cleanup 
in the neighborhood. 

Once a graveyard for junk cars, a wide alleyway, or paseo, across the street from the test project was 
intended as a walkway and drain during rain. Instead, it had become an eyesore and a danger to the 
neighborhood. Through the organization’s work on the land and streetscape, the City of Los Angeles 
was able to clear the alleyway, and prevent cars from entering the area.

 Due to the frequent flooding, a church parking lot at the far end of the alley had permanently altered 
the parking space allocation due to the regular standing water. 

The alley is now the focus of Phase 2 of the WAS, soon to begin. In the near future, the block long area 
will have a similar landscape, swale, hardscape, stormwater capture and filtration system. In addition 
to improving the attractiveness of the area with a park-like appearance, the project should significantly 
improve the flooding problem in the neighborhood.

 To be renamed, the Elmer Paseo (meaning a leisurely walk), the project will continue the testing of a 
decentralized system to capture and filter rainwater to provide a re-fill of LA’s underground water tank, 
our aquifer, and beautifying a tiny bit of LA, one block at a time.


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.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PRESBYTERIAN HOMES BECOMES 
be.group

Name Change Reflects Desire to Communicate Entire Spectrum of Services 
Demanded and Deserved by Today’s Active Senior Population

GLENDALE, Calif. (April 26, 2011) – Southern California Presbyterian Homes has changed 
its name to be.group (www.thebegroup.org), effective today. The nonprofit organization 
provides housing services to more than 5,300 older adults across California. Since it began 
in 1955, be.group has grown from one senior living community—White Sands La Jolla—
to 34 licensed and affordable housing communities, each with its own unique personality, 
attributes and amenities.

“We believe our new name is more reflective of our mission and the depth and breadth of 
what we offer today’s older generation,” said John H. Cochrane, III, be.group’s president and 
CEO. “We serve people of all faiths and beliefs, and our communities are truly places where 
residents can be everything they want to be. The name change reinforces both who we are 
and how we serve older adults.”

Cochrane added that while the name is changing, much about the organization remains the 
same, including its nonprofit status, mission, core values and beliefs, and commitment to 
providing quality services for older adults. Individual communities will retain their current 
names and cultures, yet the be.group name will help the organization convey a more cohesive 
brand identity. 

The name-change process took nearly a year, he said, and involved extensive research and 
in-depth conversations with those who have a stake in the organization, including residents, 
employees, donors and representatives from faith-based groups.

“What we found was that the new name really resonated across the board,” Cochrane said. 
“Our constituent audiences agreed that be.group reflects our mission—to help residents 
and clients achieve the lifestyle that is best for them individually, whether it is to be active, 
artistic, in a home environment, happy and independent yet supported when they need 
support, among other things.”

He added that be.group positions the organization for future growth while acknowledging 
its roots and traditions.


The new name takes effect today. All communities will retain their individual names (with 
a few minor modifications) and phone numbers. New signage will reflect the corporate 
be.group name and new community logos as the identity system is rolled out over the next 
few weeks. 

For more information, visit the new website at: www.thebegroup.org.

About be.group

Glendale, Calif.-based be.group is a nonprofit organization that provides quality housing, 
health and support services to more than 5,300 older adults across California. Its communities 
are places where people of all faiths, beliefs and aspirations can truly be themselves. The 
be.group’s goal is to meet the housing and ancillary needs of today’s senior population. Since 
its founding in 1955 as Southern California Presbyterian Homes, what is now be.group 
has developed a broad range of programs and services, including home care, independent 
residential living, assisted living, skilled nursing, dementia care and other supportive 
programs. Services are provided through six continuing care retirement communities and 
four assisted living residences/residential care facilities for the elderly; home care and adult 
day care services; and 24 affordable housing communities. For more information, visit www.
thebegroup.org.


HOW TO BUY LIKE 
A SELLER

If you’re in the market to buy a home, take a counter-intuitive tip and imagine the day you’ll be selling 
it. That’s right - whether you’re a first time buyer, or relocating, this home probably won’t be your last, 
so look for features that will pay off when the day comes to move again.

 

North, south, east or west, the biggest amenity the next buyer will look for is central air conditioning. 
In the Deep South, over 90% of buyers rank central air as critically important, and three-quarters of 
buyers everywhere else put it high on the list.

 

Another often-overlooked feature is storage. Over half of buyers desire a two-car garage and a walk-
in closet for the master bedroom. Ample closets and storage space just can’t be stressed enough.

 

If at all possible, avoid costly upgrades and offer incentive down the road by purchasing an energy 
efficient home with newer windows, pervasive insulation, and Energy Star appliances. If the home is 
already wired for cable, satellite, and high-speed Internet, so much the better.

 

Finally, it’s still all about location, location, location. It’s the one thing you can’t change about the 
home you buy, so look for good schools (even if you don’t have children) and proximity to shopping and 
recreation. Just ask your agent about the most popular features in your area and take heed!


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