From humble beginnings, Coastal Community Builders has sustainably grown to new heights 

Since 1988, Coastal Community Builders (CCB) has been developing communities through California’s Central Coast that embody traditional value, quality craftsmanship, and homeowner satisfaction. Priding itself on living in the communities in which it builds, the business has a close connection with its homes, which is reflected in the superior construction, thoughtful amenities, and contemporary designs that characterize every project. 

Having started more than 35 years ago with just two employees, CCB has experienced impressive growth, with more than 3000 completed homes in its portfolio. Gary Grossman, CCB’s President, sits down with Modern Home Builders to reflect on the company’s evolution and its commitment to the wider community, as well as its next generation of leadership.  

“Our first project was in Santa Maria, California, and our early years saw us focus our efforts on entry level, first-time buyers,” Gary opens. “We later shifted towards executive home projects in the Central Coast area, and by 2002, we were building nearly 500 homes per year. Fast forward to today and we’ve completed more than 3000 homes across California, from Solvang to Paso Robles. 

“We have an amazing, passionate, and caring team with a mutual focus on the objective of building beautiful homes. We concentrate on providing a superior product with close attention to detail both inside and outside of the home, providing unparalleled buying and living experiences for our customers.”  

Building history 

With over 30 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, Gary has established a strong reputation as a leader in quality residential communities and commercial properties. Reflecting on his career journey, he says: “By the time I entered college, I was quite certain of what I wanted to do: I wanted to be a professional homebuilder. I drew floorplans and pictures of houses from the age of five and spent my childhood carefully crafting Lego homes. 

“After graduating, a family friend coincidentally asked me to assist him with a development in Santa Maria. He was a seasoned builder who taught me the fundamentals and nuances of the industry. In 1988, we decided to join forces on a 57-unit subdivision, which was a huge success and as they say, the rest is history!” 

Turning to projects, Gary explains the process behind building a community and the unique aspects that make CCB the ideal choice. “Over the ten years between 2012 and 2022, we’ve built 18 subdivisions including the stunning San Luis Ranch, Meadow View Townhomes at Rice Ranch, and many more gorgeously unique communities,” he elaborates. “During this time, we’ve boosted our local communities with over $1 billion, employing a highly trained team of passionate local professionals, subcontractors, engineers, and architects. We are currently nearing completion of 200 homes within distinctive areas, as well as breaking ground on three exciting new developments.  

“We celebrated our 35th year in business in 2023, which was an opportunity to reflect on the amazing neighborhoods we’ve created and the amazing team we’ve established over the years. From my perspective, I built my first home at the age of 24, and I feel extremely fortunate that I still genuinely love what I do; I’m looking forward to another 35 years! 

“I like to think that I’m a hands-on leader, focusing on attention to detail in every project, which has led to an excellent track record of gorgeous communities. As a pillar in the community, I like to build personal relationships with our vendors and subcontractors. Also, an interesting consideration that differentiates us from our competitors is that I have personally sketched the floorplan and elevation of every single home we’ve delivered.  

Exciting future 

“From 50-unit projects to 300-unit communities, every project has its own style and distinctive qualities,” Gary reflects. “Our team represents a spectrum of personalities and cultures, which brings a great deal of diversity, awareness, and sensitivity to the work we accomplish. As a community business, we’re working closely with cities and state representatives to streamline processes for affordable housing, as well as working hard to recreate the long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships between bankers and lenders as they were prior to the 2008 meltdown.” 

With this in mind, talk turns to CCB’s future. “I’m happy to announce a restructuring of our core group, with Cam Boyd set to become CEO this year after an exemplary performance over the last few years,” Gary reveals. “We’re also bringing in some fresh, young talent to cater to the new housing market. In terms of projects, we have four exciting projects to work on throughout the course of this year, as well as updating some of our marketing communications.  

“Further afield, we’re on track to build 200 homes every year for the next five years across a variety of neighborhoods,” he concludes. “From my perspective, it’s exciting to see several members of our team excel in higher positions. There are so many exciting things happening, and although I don’t think I’ll ever fully retire, it’s very encouraging to see the next generation of CCB’s leadership grow and evolve.”