About Brookfield - Full Story

BRAND NEW “THINK GLOBAL, LIVE LOCAL” PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS GROWTH/TRAFFIC AND MORE IN ONTARIO!

ONTARIO, CA ( 2007) -- “Think Global, Live Local” is the name of a brand new program recently introduced in the City of Ontario as part of an innovative public/private partnership geared to meet the needs of regional population increases and the related “quality of life” issues of housing, traffic and more.

Tailored toward those people currently working within the City of Ontario yet living outside the city’s boundaries, the “Think Global, Live Local” program is designed to encourage people to move closer to their jobs and into brand new homes now available for sale in Ontario, thereby helping to create more of a live/work balance within the City, reduce commute times and ease local and regional freeway traffic.

Developed in partnership between the City of Ontario and the community design and Brookfield Homes, the “Think Global, Live Local” program is being implemented first at Edenglen, the brand new master-planned residential community now selling homes within the City’s visionary New Model Colony. Planned to ultimately encompass 8,200-acres and offer a diversity of 30,000 homes, the New Model Colony also is expected to include several million square feet of retail and commercial uses, a bounty of recreational and sports facilities, schools, a large village green, a public library, and miles of local and regional trails.

“The City of Ontario is at an exciting time it its history,” said City of Ontario Mayor Paul Leon. “Jobs within the city are growing at an expediential rate, expansion is underway at the Ontario International Airport, the construction for our Sports Complex has begun, and now that the community of Edenglen is open, we are able to make the dream of the New Model Colony --- a reality. Today is the right time to offer this new program so that, as the region continues to grow, we can offer people the opportunities to live AND work in the same city. The benefits of this program are obvious --- a supply of diverse housing for people employed in the city, shorter commute times, less freeway traffic, and of course, more time to spend with family and friends.”

The California Department of Finance recently announced that the population within San Bernardino County is projected to increase from 2 million to 3.7 million in the next half century. Given its economic progress, accessibility to major freeways, airport expansion, and other commercial and retail developments, the City of Ontario is poised to attract a significant number of new employees from this growing population base. And, according to Mayor Leon, this situation creates an opportunity to provide a diversity of housing near jobs so that people can choose to live where they work, instead of adding to local and regional traffic congestion!

“Clearly, the traffic from freeway commuting is something that needs to be addressed,” said Mayor Leon. “Yet, what we also learned is that, due to the increasing cost of gasoline and the wear and tear on automobiles, it has been estimated that the average regional commuter could have more than $60,000 in purchasing power just by moving closer to their places of work. That’s an important incentive to live and work in the same city. And, through the new ‘Think Global, Live Local’ program, we hope that our non-resident employees will consider making the move to Ontario --- and making Edenglen part of their new address!”

Encompassing 61 acres and offering 542 brand new homes offered in five very distinctive neighborhoods, Edenglen is the very first community to open within the City’s New Model Colony. Currently, homes at Edenglen include garden court condominiums, classically designed townhomes and single-family and executive style residences, designed in such architectural styles as Traditional, Spanish Colonial, Bungalow, Territorial Ranch, Monterey, Spanish, and Cottage. Currently, Edenglen home prices range from $300,000s to $700,000s

As part of the “Think Global, Live Local” program, Ontario employees living in other cities are now provided with up to $2,000 to help offset moving costs to Edenglen. Additional homebuyer benefit programs also offered at Edenglen include the following:
o Significant reductions in property tax rates for homes at Edenglen (between 1.2% and 1.4% per neighborhood, equating to an approximate reduction in annual home costs of between $1,400 and $4,000 per neighborhood)
o Special financing programs to help lower monthly payments (offered per plan), and
o Sales assistance programs to help Edenglen homebuyers sell their existing homes.

“We are very pleased to join with the City of Ontario in offering the ‘Think Global, Live Local’ program at Edenglen,” said Brookfield Homes President Adrian Foley, master developer of Edenglen.. “The goal of a true balance between where you live and where you work is closer to being attained in Ontario now that Edenglen is open and the New Model Colony is underway. Plus, with the benefits of this and other Edenglen programs, the opportunity to spend less time on the freeway and more time doing what you want to do is finally within reach.”

Situated in the heart of Edenglen is Pinheiro Park, complete with a central park and Clubhouse, resort-like swimming pool, toddler pool, pool pavilion, an outdoor amphitheatre, playgrounds and tot lots, half basketball courts and outdoor picnic areas with barbeques. The Clubhouse, with its wraparound porch overlooking Pinheiro Park, offers a media lounge, game room, and multipurpose room. Photovoltaic (solar) panels help diffuse electrical costs in the clubhouse and pool pavilion.

Also planned for Edenglen are several neighborhood pocket parks, a bark park and a network of trails which will eventually connect to other New Model Colony communities, planned retail, entertainment and commercial centers as well as recreational places.
For more information about Edenglen, please visit www.edenglen.com.