Where Housing Authority project would create 92 apartments for Modesto families, seniors
The Stanislaus Regional Housing Authority is making another effort at providing affordable, market-rate housing in a project of 92 apartments for seniors and families in west Modesto.
The Parque Rio Development will consist of two apartment complexes on 4 acres along the south side of Robertson Road just west of Sutter Avenue. One complex will have 22 one-bedroom apartments for seniors, and the second will have 70 one- and two-bedroom apartments for families.
The Housing Authority’s first effort at market-rate, affordable housing has been delayed by the pandemic, but work continues. The authority in 2020 purchased the Clarion Inn Conference Center in Modesto to convert it into 142 studio apartments for retail and restaurant workers and other moderate-income workers and to provide new administrative offices and maintenance facilities for the authority’s operations.
The authority had hoped to have the entire renovation completed by December 2021. Housing Authority Executive Director Jim Kruse said the offices and maintenance facilities are on track to open in October. He said renovating motel rooms into apartments could start in early 2023 and take about six months.
Kruse said the Parque Rio Development is in the early stages and its details could change. He expects it could be affected by the pandemic, inflation and supply-chain issues.
The Housing Authority expects the residents could not make more than 120% of the Modesto area’s median income. That would make it affordable, market-rate housing for working families and seniors whose income is too high for low-income, subsidized housing but not high enough to keep up with rising rental prices. These projects often are called workforce housing.
But the Housing Authority continues to assembly the project’s funding, and Kruse said some government funding could require Parque Rio to provide housing for low-income residents, making the development more typical of traditional, affordable-housing projects.
The development’s four acres are in Tuolumne River Regional Park, which is a partnership among Modesto, Ceres and Stanislaus County. Modesto manages the park.
The regional park’s commission, which consists of elected officials from the three governments, and its citizens advisory commission have given conceptional approval of the land purchase, said Jessica Hill, Modesto’s community development manager.
Hill said the purchase could come to the regional park’s two commissions for approval in the next couple of months. She said the purchase then would have to be approved by the Modesto and Ceres city councils and the county Board of Supervisors.
Kruse estimates Parque Rio could cost $25 million. He said the Housing Authority has been allocated its first $3 million through the federal government. He said the authority made a funding request through the office of U.S. Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock.
Kruse said the authority would like to spend the $3 million to purchase the 4 acres — appraised at $470,000 — and for project’s development costs. The authority is working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on getting the $3 million released and on potential restrictions on how the money could be spent.
Kruse said it is too soon to give an estimate on when Parque Rio could be built. He said once the land purchase goes through, it could take all of 2023 for the housing authority to assembly the rest of the project’s funding, gain the necessary approvals and develop all of the project’s plans.
He expects construction could take 12 to 18 months.
“I think there is a genuine belief (in this project),” Kruse said. “Everybody has been supportive of this project. It’s in a good location. It definitely is needed.” Hill agreed, saying it was a great project for families and seniors.
Parque Rio is near other housing and where the city plans to build soccer fields. It also is near one of the city’s waste-water treatment plants, but Kruse said an environmental review did not reveal any concerns.
