A trip through time and around Synanon Real Estate could take you to hundreds of locations around the globe but mostly through the varietal state of California. Each property had its own flavor, often depending on who was managing it. A ride on the Syna-cruiser could take you from a Marin County Ranch to an opulent Beach Front hotel. A job on the sales team could place you in Chicago, New York, Detroit, or Houston. The one constant about each place I lived in or visited was it was always “leaving it better than we found it” or “Continuous Improvement.” That was part of the Synanon ethic whether we were clearing brush or clutter, building new construction, painting, repairing, or adding features like a Japanese Onsen in a former paint factory, huge wine barrel soaking tubs (hot and cold) on a ranch in the Tulare foothills. Tennis courts, swimming pools, decks around ponds for fishing and chilling, and creative housing for individual adults, couples, children, and groups. My personal favorite was a remodeled chicken coup with a huge picture window. There was always a sense of magic, excitement, and possibilities. The professional talents, ideas, and creativity of our members were put to constant good use. Elena Broslovsky
We lived in many different places. We called them Houses or Facilities. The often negative press called them “compounds”. Moving from one place to another was called being “rotated”. I was in Synanon for 23 years and probably lived in ten different places, sometimes more than once. I think I may have moved at least fifteen times. Cory Beach Levy Becker
In my first year in S, starting in June 1965, I lived everywhere. I entered through the Westport, Conn. facility and after I had my hair cut and made my newly assigned bed, I was informed that I was leaving for San Francisco, to a facility called the Seawall. I spent 2 months there and in August, I was ‘rotated’ up to Tomales Bay in mid-August. Being a NYC boy, it was tough being up there with all that greenery and blue skies and I felt kind of trapped but 3 months later I was rotated to Reno, NV. Charlie Hamer was the Director and we had some fun there. Frankie Lago became the director in December and in January of 1966 He rotated me to Santa Monica on a greyhound bus. When I arrived, no one knew I was coming so I had to explain to Louie Caradino on the phone where I was and that I needed to be picked up at the SM greyhound terminal.. So at this point, I had been to all of our facilities except San Diego. 3 months later, I was rotated to SD, where I stayed for more than two years. So in 46 weeks I had lived in every facility we had at that time although I didn’t get to sleep at the Westport facility. In my mind, I have a million photographs of each but practically none that I can offer. Bruce Tobman
