For the last few years I have been observing the slow motion construction of a bunch of McMansions at the corner of Moon Mountain Road and Highway 12. This piece of real estate seems to be cursed. The first person who attempted to build there, started to put up some ugly, large homes without permits. These things rotted and finally the county stepped in and it was shut down and the decaying mess was torn down.
Guess who bought it? Why, the Mattsons of course.
After a Springs MAC meeting, where Daniel Crowley, a Mattson employee, attempted to answer community and MAC questions about why the Mattson’s Springs projects are stagnating, I decided to find out more about the Moon Mountain mess specifically. In November of 2021 I contacted a Mattson employee about the decaying mess.
I was given the following reasons for the delays: Covid, they want to tap into Valley of the Moon water and sewer, and they hope to complete the project by the end of 2022. I was also given this list of accomplishments completed: sewer main, electrical, windows, lathing, roofing, and rough plumbing.
Now keep in mind I have been driving by this spot for over a year and have never seen anyone on site. A few days ago I drove over and took a few photos.
In close-up, what I saw was a derelict site with construction materials and debris strewn about, surrounded by a partially blown over cyclone fence with shredded plastic attached to it. As I was finishing up, a couple walked up Moon Mountain Road. I asked if they lived on the street and if they had seen any work on the site in the last year. They told me they lived there and had not seen any work in a year.
They stated that a few people come by every once in a while and look around, but no work has been done. They also told me that another neighbor had recently contacted the county to ask what is going on.
As you know, we have a housing shortage. Maybe this cursed little piece of real estate could help us out. What if the county took this thing over, as the Mattsons don’t really seem serious about the completion of a bunch of useless McMansions?
The county could reach out to the community for contractors and workers to volunteer to complete this thing. These houses are large and appear to have multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and probably huge kitchens. These would be great affordable co-housing for young workers or transitional housing for the homeless. Why not enlist the help of nonprofits like Sonoma Overnight Support and Homeless Action Sonoma to help out with planning and ongoing support?
If the Mattsons are as civic minded as they profess to be, they should be on board with giving this property to the community, rather than continuing this charade of excuses for this decaying mess they have created in the Springs and beyond.
I drove by yesterday and it looks like the Mattsons must have read this piece in print. Some of the mess has been cleaned up. Question: Why do they only clean up these unfinished and stagnating messes after someone tells them about it or they read it in the press or social media? And bigger question: Why do they keep buying all this real estate when they clearly intend to do nothing to finish, improve or use these properties in any way?
They bought our property on The east side. It once was a cute, well kept property…. That was 3 years ago. It looks like a junk yard now 🙁
This Trumpian style ‘Mar-a-Lago Sonoma’ abomination is an embarrassment, the County should be ashamed to allow this on the scenic hwy. These Mattson money obsessed types clearly have no regard for the communities or neighborhoods they monopolize. Is it corruption or incompetence by the county to allow these people to destroy or scenic highways and communities?
Sun reporting from October, 2015: “The new owner, KS Mattson Partners LP, plans build two new primary residences, with second units.’These new homes will be much more carefully designed to work with the landscape and enhance—not detract from—the local aesthetics,’ said spokesperson Tim Sloat.”
Sounds like an episode of Ozark.
Aren’t there any smart real estate players in Sonoma who could venture an opinion on what the Mattson’s are really up to? Some game around tax benefits? Or are they just suffering from Compulsive Buying Behavior (CBB), otherwise known as shopping addiction, pathological buying or compulsive buying disorder…?
The Mattson’s are TASTELESS slumlords ruing the aesthetic and spirit of our beloved town and community.