The next big thing in Manteca is new homes being rolled out as rentals.

Echo Homes — being built by Kiper Homes in the 300 block of Airport Way — is being marketed as paired homes for rent complete with a community swimming pool, clubhouse, and exercise facilities.

The project on the northeast corner of Airport Way and Center Street was approved as duplexes.

The initial marketing strategy when the project was first devised was to sell the duplexes to buyers who would live in one unit and rent out the other.

The market has shifted somewhat since then making purchasing a home more challenging to more potential buyers.

The 114 “paired homes” are essentially being aimed at the leasing market where there are people able and willing to pay between $2,000 and $3,000 a month but either are not ready to take on a mortgage or are not in a position to do so.

They also prefer their own space, garage, and yard over apartments.

For comparison, a somewhat smaller 3 bedroom, two bathroom apartment with 1,291 square feet and the use of a one-car garage that is one in a cluster, goes for $3,095 a month at The Atherton, the highest priced apartment in Manteca that is located just was of Bass Pro Shops.

“There is a need and it is a different product,” Manteca Mayor Gary Singh said.

Singh noted the builder has a vested interest in keeping up landscaping ­and such whether they decide to retain the neighborhood as rentals in the long haul or eventually sell the paired homes.

The paired homes are within a half mile radius of Airport Way and Yosemite that growth is slowly transforming into a high density area that will eventually incorporate more shopping and dining opportunities as well as transit.

Biggest rental neighborhood

in region eyed at River Islands

River Islands at Lathrop could be targeting the rental housing market as well.

And in doing so, it could end up building 4,000 homes with 2,000 of those homes built in as little as two years.

Cambay Group is exploring the idea of creating two highly walk-able neighborhoods targeting not buyers but renters.

It would involve higher density housing much in the vein of the popular three-story townhouses surrounding downtown Livermore. There would be other high density housing types as well.

Perhaps Livermore is the closest example to what they may create.

River Islands President Susan Dell’Osso has described it as a “very walkable community” whether it is to go to a restaurant, get hair styled, do light shopping, or head to the gym among other possibilities.

But instead of taking an existing area like Livermore did and redeveloping older aging neighborhoods, River Islands would do so using a blank slate — undeveloped land.

As such, River Islands could end up targeting a multi-faceted niche market that exists that no home builder — whether it involves single family homes or apartments — is addressing.

That entails:

*Young couples and families just starting out that prefer to rent but want a lifestyle that is more urban and less suburban.

*Those that have no desire to put down roots with a mortgage but would prefer something more than an apartment and something less than a house that comes with a big yard to maintain.

*People who would like to be able to walk to access dining, shops, and amenities instead of being “forced” to drive everywhere.

There are two areas being considered for such communities in the 15,001-home planned community.

One is in the southeast portion of the island east of Paradise Road.

The other is the transit village planned on the eastern flank of the island by the business park area along tracks that eventually will be part of Valley Link.

The first phase of Valley Link using electric-powered train sets to connect the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station to Mountain House is moving forward. The second phase would extend the line to Lathrop.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com