Written by David Gibbs | Manager of Architecture at RRM Design Group
Across the state, some of today’s most impactful affordable housing projects didn’t begin with policy or funding – they began with people. They began with individuals who saw a need, believed in their communities, and quietly contributed what they could. Like acorns growing into oaks, their actions demonstrate how local generosity and creative partnerships can blossom into transformative change and leave a lasting legacy of housing justice.
Two powerful examples of 100% affordable projects on California’s Central Coast that stemmed from individual action are Cleaver & Clark Commons in Grover Beach and the Maxine Lewis Grove in San Luis Obispo. Today, we’ll reflect on how small acts of generosity can grow into lasting community impact, shaping projects long before solutions are fully realized.
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The Stories Behind the Projects
The origins of Cleaver & Clark Commons stem from the compassion of two families committed to serving their community. When Robert and Levon Cleaver owned the property, they rented an on-site ADU below market rate for many years to support local residents. Upon Robert’s passing, the 0.84-acre parcel land was placed in a memorial trust with the City of Grover Beach as beneficiary with the intent that it serve as a park and recreational space for the community. Decades later, philanthropist Clifford Clark contributed funding to establish a modest pocket park on the site, with hopes it might one day grow into a full recreation and community center.
This legacy of generosity shaped the site’s next chapter, balancing community aspirations with practical realities. While many envisioned a park setting, limited recreation funding made that vision difficult to realize, whereas resources and demand existed to address urgent housing needs. Today, Cleaver & Clark Commons stands as 100% affordable housing, delivered through partnerships between the City, developers, and housing organizations. The transition reflects the Clark family’s history of offering below-market rate rent; extending that spirit of accessibility into the site’s current use. At the heart of the project was the preservation of a beloved heritage oak tree, around which a shared outdoor gathering space honors the site’s community-centered roots.
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In San Luis Obispo, the Maxine Lewis Grove is rooted in a different, but equally impactful, form of community contribution. Maxine Lewis, was a local activist who dedicated her life to uplifting the unhoused, poor, and elderly. Through her organization, Grass Roots II, she developed housing programs, provided meals, and advocated for improved services and dignity for underserved populations.
From housing programming to holiday meals, and determined advocacy, she created pathways to dignity and security for vulnerable residents.
Though her work did not directly establish a housing site, it shaped the broader ecosystem of services and awareness that informed later housing efforts. The decision to name a new affordable housing development in her honor reflects that longer-term influence, recognizing the role her advocacy played in advancing housing access within the community.
From Individual Action to Collective Impact
While these projects are rooted in different histories, they share a common thread: the power of individual action to influence long-term outcomes.
In both cases, contributions such as land donations, philanthropic investments, and community advocacy were not tied to a specific housing outcome at the time. Instead, they created the foundation for future collaboration between public agencies, nonprofits, and project teams.
Whether it’s preserving a heritage tree, maintaining a site’s community purpose, or carrying forward the values of a local advocate, making intentional choices helps ensure that new development remains rooted in its original story.
The opportunity moving forward is to recognize those “acorns” early: to identify underutilized land, legacy contributions, and community-driven efforts that could grow into something meaningful over time.
The stories of Cleaver & Clark Commons and the Maxine Lewis Grove remind us that meaningful change often begins quietly, with small actions that gain momentum over time. Affordable housing will always require policy, funding, and coordination. But alongside those tools, there is another resource that is just as important: the generosity and commitment of people who care deeply about their communities.
Without organizations that are rooted in that exact character, neither of these projects would have been possible. It was an honor for us to partner with Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo and People’s
