WAY OT: Are basements common in So. Cal?

[lost in space]

Very common in commercially built homes prior to the 30s, even in the Bay Area, So Cal too, but like jdc said, basements were small. The dozen or so houses I can think of in the Bay Area built in the 20s had one, a few in So. Cal too.They often had coal furnaces. After the 30s, rare.