Published October 14, 2025
On October 26, 1969, Kaufman & Broad unveiled their latest housing concept in north Livermore: The Expandables. This housing tract was a direct response to the growing challenge of affordability for first-time homebuyers at the tail end of the 1960s. Rising home prices and tightening credit standards were making traditional homeownership increasingly out of reach, particularly for younger families. Kaufman & Broad, drawing on the success of a similar development in Huntington Beach, brought this innovative model to the Tri-Valley area.
Mapping The Expandables
Kaufman & Broad pointed to location as one of the tract’s main draws. The site—bounded by East Jack London Boulevard (then still known as East Las Positas), Olivina Avenue, and Murrieta Boulevard—was chosen for its long-term appeal. Proximity to downtown Livermore, strong local schools, emerging institutions like Las Positas College, and nearby parks and recreation reinforced the area’s promise.
The Expandables were nestled between two H. C. Elliott developments—Somerset West and Somerset South (also containing Knuppe Garden Homes) and often considered part of the larger “Somerset” neighborhood in local reference.
 |
| Annotated aerial map of The Expandables tract in Livermore, California. Commonly known as the Somerset neighborhood. Base imagery from Google Maps. |
The Expandables homes and architectural style
When Kaufman & Broad introduced The Expandables in 1969, prospective buyers encountered the housing tract through its model homes. The models showcased the different designs, floor plans, and lifestyles the builder was offering to buyers in Livermore.
The original model homes provide a way to revisit that introduction. The guide below shows where Kaufman & Broad's models were located, preserves the original sales material where available, and explores the designs the builder offered to prospective buyers when the tract was new.
Original model home complex
Kaufman & Broad presented six models in a sales complex on Curley Road.
 |
| Annotated aerial map of original The Expandables model homes on Curlew Road. Base imagery from Apple Maps. |
The original model homes
Square footage ranged widely due to the expandable nature of the designs, with homes as small as 1,120 sq. ft. and as large as 1,802 sq. ft. The original models were:
1. The Plan 1
 |
| Original Plan 1 model home today via Google Street View. |
2. The Plan 2
 |
| Original Plan 2 model home today via Google Street View. |
3. The Plan 3
|
| Original Plan 3 model home today via Google Street View. |
4. The Plan 4
 |
| Original Plan 4 model home today via Google Street View. |
5. The Plan 5
 |
| Original Plan 5 model home today via Google Street View. |
6. The Plan 6
 |
| Original Plan 6 model home today via Google Street View. |
Marketing The Expandables
Unlike conventional expandable homes of the era—which often featured unfinished attic or second-story spaces awaiting conversion—The Expandables were designed with future growth in mind, rather than unfinished space. Buyers could purchase a modest, single-story home at an accessible price point, with the option to expand their living space over time while maintaining architectural consistency.
 |
| 1969 newspaper ad announcing the debut of The Expandables in Livermore. With the tagline, “Introducing your first and second home,” Kaufman & Broad emphasized the homes’ innovative design—affordable now, expandable later. The ad declared: “It’s so new, it makes tomorrow sound old-fashioned.” |
Homes were priced starting at just $18,990—making them the most affordable new construction homes in Livermore at the time. In comparison, the adjacent Somerset by H. C. Elliott started at $1,000 more and offered a more traditional expandable layout with partially finished interiors. The Expandables instead emphasized completed, livable space up front, with the ability to grow as family and financial circumstances evolved.
These were not bare-bones starter homes. Despite their modest footprints, the homes featured contemporary touches that belied their price. Vaulted cathedral ceilings, walk-in closets, airy patio kitchens, spacious bathrooms, and fireplaces were standard. All homes also came with a 5-year builder’s warranty—an unusual level of assurance for the era.
Layouts emphasized flexibility: most homes began with a large living area, a generously sized kitchen, and a private wing containing two or more bedrooms. Garage access was typically external—via a front-facing entry—freeing up interior floor space. The efficient layout and potential for long-term expansion appealed to a growing number of buyers priced out of traditional housing tracts.
 |
| In this follow-up advertisement, Kaufman & Broad promoted The Expandables with a focus on value and flexibility. The ad includes a sample floor plan with illustrated cutouts, showing how additional rooms could be added later—highlighting the expandable concept that made these homes ideal for first-time buyers with long-term plans. |
The Expandables were an immediate success. A third of all homes were sold before the formal grand opening in October 1969. By May 1970—less than seven months later—the tract was largely sold out, with only 15 homes remaining for sale. Kaufman & Broad would go on to open the Green Meadows tract alongside The Expandables, which sold out in just five months.
Today, The Expandables stand as a testament to an era of housing experimentation and flexibility. In contrast to larger, more static mid-century developments, these homes offered adaptability without sacrificing design quality. For Livermore, they provided a gateway to homeownership for a new generation and exemplified a forward-thinking approach to suburban planning.
The homes—many still recognizable from their original model layouts—reflect both the aspirations and constraints of the time, and offer a window into how developers responded to the economic pressures of the late 1960s housing market.
Collection
Livermore — the making of a suburban city
Comments
Post a Comment