Published June 4, 2025 · Last updated: September 29, 2026
Monterey-style homes became a familiar part of California's suburban landscape during the 1960s. Their most recognizable features included stucco exteriors, low-pitched roofs, symmetrical two-story façades, and projecting second-story balconies.
Production builders adapted these Monterey-inspired elements for tract housing, offering variations of the style in new subdivisions across California. In the Tri-Valley, examples appeared in developments from Dublin and Livermore to Pleasanton and San Ramon as suburban construction accelerated during the 1960s.
The homes documented here show how builders adapted the Monterey style for mass-produced suburban housing—and how examples of those designs remain identifiable in Tri-Valley neighborhoods today.
What makes a Monterey-style home?
The Monterey style drew on California's earlier Monterey Colonial and Monterey Revival traditions. By the 1960s, production builders had adapted its most recognizable features for suburban house plans.
Stucco walls, low-pitched roofs, symmetrical façades, and projecting second-story balconies were among the most common elements. The balcony became particularly distinctive on two-story tract homes, often extending from an upper-level bedroom or living space.
Monterey style homes across the Tri-Valley
Dublin: Monterey-style homes
Dublin was one of the first Tri-Valley communities to feature Monterey-inspired homes in its subdivisions. American Housing Guild debuted the style at Redwing Valley (later called Appletree) in 1965.
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| The Spanish Hacienda model at Redwing Valley, one of Dublin’s earliest Monterey-inspired tract homes. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Tom Gentry introduced Monterey designs at Silvergate in 1963.
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| A Monterey-style home on San Sabana Road, Dublin, with stucco walls and a projecting second-story balcony. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Livermore: Monterey-style homes
Livermore embraced the Monterey style in 1965 when Duc & Elliot, pioneers of the design in Cupertino, brought their vision to the Los Altos Heights subdivision.
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| Duc & Elliot brought Monterey-style balconies to Livermore’s Los Altos Heights in 1965. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Pleasanton: Monterey-style homes
Though Pleasanton was slower to adopt the style, it did so with impact by the late 1960s. Galli Homes included Monterey-style homes at Pleasanton Meadows in 1969.
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| A residence on Churchill Drive, Pleasanton, with added balcony supports highlighting the Monterey style’s adaptability. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Morrison Homes brought Monterey balconies to Pleasanton Valley in 1966.
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| A Monterey-style home on Tanglewood Way, Pleasanton, with stucco walls and a second-story balcony. Imagery via Google Street View. |
San Ramon: Monterey-style homes
Monterey-style homes appeared across San Ramon as development accelerated in the mid-1960s. Kay Homes brought the design to Rancho Solano in 1965.
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| A Monterey-style home on Milo Place, San Ramon, blending traditional and modern elements. Imagery via Google Street View. |
Alpha Homes introduced Monterey-inspired façades at Fairway Hills in 1965.
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| A Monterey-style home on Cherry Hills Lane, San Ramon, with stucco walls and a projecting second-story balcony. Imagery via Google Street View. |
The Monterey style in the Tri-Valley
Monterey-style homes appeared in Tri-Valley subdivisions throughout the 1960s, with builders adapting the style in different ways. American Housing Guild, Tom Gentry, Duc & Elliot, Galli Homes, Morrison Homes, Kay Homes, and Alpha Homes all incorporated Monterey-inspired designs into developments in the region.
The surviving examples show that there was no single Monterey tract house. Builders used the characteristic stucco façades, second-story balconies, rooflines, and other details in different combinations across a range of house plans.
Together, these homes provide a record of how a distinctly California architectural tradition was adapted for suburban tract housing during the 1960s.
Collection
Tract home design in the Tri-Valley
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