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Ron Jones, one of the principals at San Francisco’s architecture, planning and interiors firm Hunt Hale Jones dropped by the KCBS studios last week to talk about how California homes are going to live post-recession. Ron sees smaller homes sizes, smaller individual lot sizes, and more emphasis on public spaces as California comes back from its long and exhausting housing slowdown. In part, his response is based on the economics of an uncertain recovery. Certainly, while money is tight—not just for consumer loans but for development and construction loans as well—we’re not going to see many homes started on spec. And the homes that do get the green light are going to be affordably priced, hence, smaller in size.

Ron is also interested in what his firm sees as the Boomers becoming inner city suburbanites—moving back to the city with a desire for a better lifestyle mix that includes the arts, culture, walkability, and a healthy lifestyle. Another choice for aging Boomers? Cohousing, in which individuals have ownership in private sleeping and bathing areas, but share communal facilities for cooking, relaxing and entertaining. Another idea, a flashback from our past, is cross-generational homes, where raising kids and sharing a home with one’s parents or adult siblings is more the norm than our contemporary, compartmentalized view of family structure.

In passing, Ron mentioned modular, panelized and manufactured housing coming our way… and he’s not talking about trailers, but a whole new—and very green—way to bring affordable housing to the Bay Area. We’ll do some more research on the subject and get back to you in time for Tuesday’s Real Story.