Silverwood master plan in Hesperia wins top SoCal award; GM John Ohanian named Industry Leader of the Year
Hesperia, California (High Desert News Online) – Silverwood in Hesperia won Masterplan Community of the Year at the 2025 SoCal MAME Awards, while General Manager John Ohanian was named Industry Leader of the Year; the 9,366‑acre project plans 15,000+ homes and extensive amenities.
- Top honors: Silverwood took Masterplan Community of the Year at the 2025 SoCal MAME Awards; GM John Ohanian earned Industry Leader of the Year — Dwell
- Scale: 9,366 acres entitled for more than 15,000 homes, ~700,000 sq ft of retail/commercial and ~4,900 acres of open space — Silverwood official site
- Signature idea: a marketed “culture of kindness” with a buyer kindness pledge embedded in association documents — Dwell
- Product and pricing: homes from the low $400,000s, 25 plans, 21 model homes open from national builders — Woodside Homes Sunset Ridge at Silverwood, K. Hovnanian Estates at Silverwood, Lennar Silverwood listings
Awards and recognition
At the 2025 MAME Gala, hosted by the Greater Sales & Marketing Council and the Building Industry Association of Southern California, Silverwood beat nearly 300 entries to win Masterplan Community of the Year. General Manager John Ohanian, who oversaw entitlements and early build-out, was named Industry Leader of the Year. Ohanian called the recognition “an incredible honor,” describing Silverwood as the “culminating project” of his career as residents begin to move in and live the community’s stated values — source: Dwell.
Project scale and history
Silverwood occupies roughly 9,366 acres near Silverwood Lake at about 3,200 feet in the Mojave River Valley, with views toward the Angeles and San Bernardino National Forests. The master plan is entitled for more than 15,000 homes, about 700,000 sq ft of retail/commercial space and roughly 4,900 acres of open space — details from the Silverwood official site.
Long in the making, Silverwood was previously known in planning phases as Las Flores and Tapestry. The project has been developed under DMB Development, which has decades of experience in master-planned communities — see developer materials and a Developer video tour and presentations.
A culture of kindness
Silverwood markets a “culture of kindness.” Homebuyers receive a kindness pledge as part of association documents. The pledge is framed as a voluntary social code intended to encourage neighborly support and civic participation; developer materials note outreach to schools, law enforcement, fire services, parks, city departments and faith groups to join the initiative — coverage: Dwell and the Silverwood official site.
“We designed kindness into the built environment so residents can thrive by working together,” Ohanian said, highlighting the social intent behind the pledge — Dwell.
Homes, builders and prices
Silverwood targets first-time and move-up buyers, particularly millennials and families. Prices start in the low $400,000s and can exceed $700,000 depending on plan and upgrades. The community offers 25 home plans across multiple neighborhoods with features such as RV/toy parking, rear‑yard casitas, multigenerational layouts, front porches and bold exterior palettes. Floor plans generally range from about 1,550 to 3,500 sq ft. As of spring, 21 model homes from five national builders were open — see builder pages: Woodside Homes Sunset Ridge at Silverwood, K. Hovnanian Estates at Silverwood, Lennar Silverwood listings.
Amenities and infrastructure
Planned to feel like a small California town with a focus on walkability and outdoor life, Silverwood includes:
- 59 miles of off-street trails and 107 miles of paths and paseos
- 387 acres of parks plus pocket parks and trailheads within walking distance
- Crest Club amenities: game room, splash pad, pickleball; a Village Green for concerts and events
- Sites set aside for five elementary schools, one middle and one high school, sports fields and a planned grocery‑anchored shopping center
- The community has already welcomed its first fire station
Sources: Silverwood official site and Woodside Homes.
Timeline and investment
Developers project more than $1.6 billion in infrastructure investment over 25 years, with an overall development timeline of roughly 15–25 years. Early phases include roughly 2,000 homes. The developer has also cited a larger multi‑billion‑dollar regional economic footprint across full build‑out — see Silverwood official site and the Developer video tour and presentations.
Questions and concerns
Typical questions for a project of this scale remain in focus:
- Timing of public services: delivery of schools, commercial centers and transit depends on approvals, school district planning and market conditions.
- Infrastructure pressures: traffic, water use and city service capacity are common concerns in High Desert planning discussions.
- Enforcement and measurement: the kindness pledge is notable for attaching a social code to homeownership paperwork; skeptics ask how such pledges will be enforced or measured.
- History of entitlements: litigation and long entitlement processes in past phases are acknowledged as part of a long planning arc.
Developers say much funding for roads, utilities and public facilities will come from project infrastructure investments and development fees — see Silverwood official site and the Developer video tour and presentations.
Early residents and market pull
Anecdotal reports from early move‑ins show families praising trails, amenities and price points. Builders report steady local interest as Silverwood offers a relatively affordable option in the Inland Empire and High Desert markets — coverage: Dwell and Woodside Homes.
Implications for The High Desert
Economic impact: new construction, retail and services jobs and long‑term tax receipts tied to infrastructure spending — see Silverwood official site.
Housing supply: thousands of new units, including entry‑level homes starting in the low $400,000s, could ease regional inventory pressure — see Lennar Silverwood listings.
Public services: schools, emergency services and traffic mitigation depend on coordination between developers, the city and school districts; timing will be key.
Community life: the kindness pledge aims to shape civic norms; its success will test whether branding can build measurable social capital in a growing region — coverage: Dwell.
