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City Ventures, Cali- fornia's leading builder of solar all-electric homes, announced they are accepting pre- applications for the 10 below-market-rate (BMR) homes in their upcoming Cherry Blos- som Row community in Richmond. These 10 BMR-designated homes are available to income- qualified households courtesy of Richmond's Below Market Rate Home Program. Moderate-income- level townhomes are priced at $555,150 and households must meet all program requirements in order to purchase these homes. Cherry Blossom Row is a collection of 100 three-story townhomes located near the El Cerrito Plaza Bart Station and Interstate 580. The BMR homes feature a three- bedroom, three-bathroom layout in 1,368 square feet. Each sustainably-designed home has a deck off the family room, attached two-car garages with con- duits for future EV char- gers, rooftop solar panels and energy-saving appli- ances and thermostats. The new neighborhood encapsulates off-street parking, pedestrian circu- lation paths and a com- munity garden. "We're one step closer to opening these highly attainable townhomes in a rapidly changing part of the bay," says City Ventures CEO Phil Kerr. "There is high demand for additional housing in Richmond. Cherry Blos- som Row's commitment to quality and sustainabil- ity is unmatched in the area, and we think it will appeal to those who crave a mix of urban amenities and suburban lifestyle. We believe this commu- nity will be a great addi- tion to this special and diverse part of the city." The grand opening is scheduled for late spring 2023, but with the increased interest in af- fordable housing, Cherry Blossom Row will be ac- cepting pre-applications for the BMR homes from November 28, 2022, through April 15, 2023. For more information, please visit Cherry BlossomBMRHomes. com or email Cherry BlossomRow@City Ventures.com. City Ventures is a rap- idly growing California homebuilder focused on repositioning un- derutilized real estate into residential housing in supply-constrained coastal urban infill areas, as well as high-demand suburban locations. It focuses on the construc- tion of townhomes, condominiums, lofts, mixed-use, live-work and single-family detached homes in Southern and Northern California coastal urban infill neigh- borhoods. City Ventures is based in San Francisco and Irvine, California, and currently owns and controls over 8,000 lots in California. City Ventures contin- ues to work in partner- ship with public agencies such as cities, counties, successor redevelopment agencies and city housing authorities. Since their start, they have repre- sented nearly 20,000 homes and built or sold 130 new communities. In total, the value of their builds surpasses $8 bil- lion, positioning City Ventures as a leader in the land entitlement, de- velopment and building industry in California. The projects already in place in Northern Cal- ifornia include Novato, Oakland and Santa Rosa. The homes are sustain- able and eco-forward — more than simply solar. While solar is included as part of the home, all elements use electric- ity instead of a mix of natural gas and electric. And each community is walkable and accessible to public transportation. For more information, please visit www.city ventures.com. Content provided by City Ventures City Ventures' Richmond homes accepting pre-applications A model kitchen at City Ventures' Round Barn community in Santa Rosa. BY METRO Everyone appreci- ates some time to rest and relax. But few may realize just how valuable free time can be to their overall well-being. A 2021 study from the American Psychological Association found that individuals with up to two hours of free time per day reported feeling bet- ter than people who had less free time. The sense of well-being free time provides underscores the need for leisure time. Unfortunately, a 2016 survey from the Pew Re- search Center found that 12 percent of adults in the United States felt they were too busy to enjoy life. These strategies to create more leisure time can help anyone over- come by a hectic schedule or people simply looking to spend more time on recreational activities. Audit yourself An honest self-assess- ment regarding how you spend your time may reveal that you're your own worst enemy when it comes to being busy and having no time for leisure. Utilize a journal to document how you're spending time each day. Chances are you will un- cover some time-wasting behaviors or habits that can be ditched in favor of creating more leisure time. Book your leisure time Calendars are a part of everyday life, especially for busy professionals. Calendars may be used most often for work, but they also can be useful when trying to schedule time for leisure. Blocking off certain hours of the day to pursue leisure activities ensures open hours on a schedule won't be filled by im- promptu meetings with co-workers or other events that can take away from time to rest and relax. Limit distractions during the workday Workdays can be hectic, but many pro- fessionals succumb to distractions such as the internet, text messaging with friends or family or scanning social media during a typical work- day. In fact, a 2019 study by RescueTime found that workers average just two hours and 28 minutes of productive time each workday. In- creasing productivity by blocking out distractions during the workday should help profession- als get more done during the workday, which in turn should free up time for leisure activities. Remote or hybrid working In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses were forced to shift to remote working, and many have maintained that stan- dard or adopted a hybrid working option. Numer- ous studies have shown that workers' productiv- ity increases when they shift to remote work. However, it's important that individuals who work from home recognize they must walk a tightrope in order to make hybrid or remote working beneficial for their pursuit of more leisure time. Research from Ergotron found that 40 percent of employees work longer hours at home than in the office. Though remote or hybrid work can create more space for leisure time, it's only effective when workers make an effort to log off when the typi- cal workday ends. In such instances, time normally spent commuting can be designated for recreational pursuits. Leisure time is likely there for the taking, and some simple strategies can help busy profession- als find more time to rest and relax. Making more time for leisure H2 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP 001 Homes | Advertising Section