Riverbank approves market-rate apartments. How many, and what might renters pay?
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- Riverbank Planning Commission approved 48 market-rate apartments on Morrill Road.
- The 978-square-foot apartments will be on 2.4 acres near Quail Meadows Park.
- Project supports Riverbank’s 3,591-unit housing target under 2031 state mandate.
A developer won approval for 48 market-rate apartments on Morrill Road in central Riverbank.
Each of the two-bedroom units could rent for about $2,300 to $2,445, developer Annie Gurpreet Sandhu said by email Wednesday, July 16. The figures are tentative.
They are higher than the area’s average rent because the apartments will be relatively large, at 978 square feet each, and brand new.
The Riverbank Planning Commission on Tuesday voted 5-0 for the project, on 2.4 vacant acres about half a mile east of Oakdale Road. The decision will be final if no one appeals it to the City Council within 10 days, which is July 25.
The apartments will be in four three-story buildings in a neighborhood of mostly single-family houses. The 146-unit Quail Meadows Mobile Home Park borders the project on the east.
Tuesday’s hearing was smoother than what happened on another stretch of Morrill — 67 subsidized homes proposed at the northwest corner with Oakdale. It would have served people at risk of being homeless but drew protests from some of the would-be neighbors. The plan stalled when the City Council in April balked at boosting the local funding in a state grant application.
Tuesday’s hearing did draw one comment that the market-rate project might reduce property values elsewhere on Morrill. It came from a homeowner who identified herself only as Alicia.
The apartment site is a triangle bounded by Morrill, Quail Meadows and a Modesto Irrigation District canal. MID will require a masonry wall next to the canal bank, which also has underground power lines.
The complex will have two vehicle entrances on Morrill, separated by split-rail fencing, and 72 parking spaces in the interior. It will feature picnic tables, a grill, a shade structure, a small lawn and bicycle parking. The manager will live in one of the apartments.
What’s up with the ducks?
This canal stretch has an unusual feature — several ducks that sometimes waddle onto Morrill to avoid a culvert. The street in fact has “ducks crossing” signs to warn drivers.
The project site already was designated for high-density homes in the Riverbank General Plan, said Michael Arroyo, who handled the application under a contract with the city. The apartment buildings will be 4 feet short of the 45-foot height limit.
The project also falls under a state law exempting certain housing from close analysis of environmental effects, Arroyo said. The Planning Commission could vote only on details such as the facades, parking and landscaping. The developer was represented at the podium by Chico-based architect Kevin Easterling.
Sandhu said in her email that construction could start by late 2026. She is based in Manteca and also does retail development.
How many homes does Riverbank need?
Riverbank has to build at least 3,591 housing units by 2031 under a state-mandated plan. That includes 672 for people defined as “low-income” and 970 more for those who are “very low-income.” The rest are for households of moderate income or above, such as the newly approved apartments on Morrill.
Many advocates say boosting housing of all types could reduce upward pressure on rents and mortgage payments. This was noted when the Modesto City Council last year approved 527 new houses near the Amtrak station, the largest by far in nearly two decades.
Stanislaus County’s average rent was $1,704 in June, according to Rentcafe.com. It does not have a Riverbank figure. The rentals include studio, one-bedroom and larger apartments.
Houses in the county had a median sale price of $470,000 in the first quarter of 2025, the California Association of Realtors reported. Only 29% of households could afford the median mortgage payment of $3,020. It includes property taxes and insurance.
Most of Riverbank’s recent growth has been single-family houses in the Crossroads area in the southwest of town. Smaller infill projects also have been approved. They include 28 senior apartments on Pocket Avenue and 38 small dwellings behind the Lucky House restaurant on Patterson Road.
This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM.
