By Guest commentary Friday, February 13th, 2026

By Jocelyn Brennan 

Drive down West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach today, and it is hard to remember that this corridor once sat quiet and overlooked. 

For decades, the “West End” of Grover Beach was an area locals passed through on their way to Pismo or the dunes. 

Few lingered, and fewer still imagined that this modest stretch of blocks could one day become a thriving, walkable neighborhood serving residents and visitors.

That transformation is now well underway, and Coastal Community Builders deserves recognition for helping the City of Grover Beach realize its goals.

In the past several years, CCB has entitled and constructed new for-sale homes and mixed-use buildings as part of the larger West Grand Avenue Master Plan. 

This long-term vision, adopted by the city in 2011, which aligns with state housing goals, sought to bring life back into a city rich with potential but short on investment. 

The city council and community mapped out a future with residential units over the neighborhood serving retail, more feet on the street, and housing close to jobs and transit. Keeping the coastal vibe while making room for meaningful density. 

The results speak for themselves. 

New homeowners now call Grover Beach home, and they are choosing to live in smaller units with rooftop decks and shared amenities rather than the large-lot subdivisions typical of previous generations. 

These are homes that open directly onto sidewalks, encouraging walking instead of driving. 

As a result, foot traffic is up in nearby shops, restaurants, and service businesses. What used to be a dormant area now hums throughout the week. Business owners who stuck it out through quiet years are noticing the difference. 

This revitalization did not come without tension. Many longtime Grover Beach residents understandably feel that their familiar beach town is changing. 

Coastal modern architecture and taller rooflines look different than what defined the city for decades. Acknowledging these emotions is both fair and important.

At the same time, cities everywhere are grappling with the same challenge: how to plan for the future without losing their sense of place. The West Grand Avenue transformation shows that it is possible to do both.

Younger homebuyers and renters are voting with their feet and their wallets. 

They prefer neighborhoods where they can walk to coffee, dinner, and the beach rather than driving everywhere. 

They value efficiency, design, and community over a big lawn and a white picket fence. Grover Beach is demonstrating that these preferences can be embraced in a small coastal city without sacrificing identity or quality of life.

This shift has broader implications for the Central Coast. Communities up-and-down the shoreline are asking how to accommodate state housing requirements, expand affordability, and support businesses and their local workforce. The West Grand Avenue corridor offers a blueprint. 

Envision the future, create clear and predictable policies, partner with experienced local builders, and stay focused on long-term community benefits. Do that, and investment will follow.

Grover Beach is now regarded statewide as a pro-housing leader, not because it paved over open space but because it made better use of land that was already developed. 

The West Grand Avenue Master Plan is a case study in how thoughtful zoning, strong public-private collaboration, and a willingness to welcome new ideas can turn a sleepy district into a thriving community asset.

• Jocelyn Brennan is the CEO of HRM Consultants and was the District Director for the 35th Assembly District, serving over 500,000 constituents.