Manteca’s best example of smart growth with a heavy dose of walkability is tucked away behind a Chevron gas station/convenience store with retail space and the Moose Lodge on North Main St.

“It’s a good infill project,” noted Manteca Councilman Mike Morowit. “And its smart growth.”

The endeavor is the 100-unit Los Robles apartment complex designed as affordable workforce housing. It is now under construction west of the North Main Street intersection with Lancaster Drive.

It’s the latest piece of the puzzle to repurpose a parcel that sat vacant for years.

Before it was torn down before the pandemic, there was a large abandoned corrugated-metal shop building that was a magnet for the homeless as well as an abandoned house.

The parcel also saw its share of illegal dumping.

“It’s a good example of cleaning up blight,” Morowit said.

The housing endeavor rates extremely high on the “walkability scale” — with roughly three dozen locations within the equivalent of a three block radius where future residents can shop, dine, or access services without having to drive a car.

Golden West School is also with easy walking distance.

Among the other offerings close by are:

 *Two Manteca Transit bus stops.

*A Save Mart supermarket.

*A hardware store.

*A neighborhood market/restaurant

*Three convenience stores.

*Two shipping outlets for those all-important online shopping returns.

*Bank of America ATMs.

*Two pharmacies.

*A coffee shop

*Seven sit-down restaurants

*A health club gym.

*Two fast food options.

*A hair styling business.

*Three gas stations, tire store, and oil change business.

*And more.

The new apartment complex is being built with financing from a $40 million revenue bond secured by Bold Communities with the blessing of the Manteca City Council. A public agency needs to sign off but isn’t encumbered by such a project.

It’s dubbed Los Robles Apartments. There is an interest list that can be accessed at boldcommunitues.org for the rent restricted units.

Not only is the complex that is being built to serve low-income renters in the Manteca workforce the most strategically placed complex in the city when it comes to walkability to a wide array of amenities, but it has the community’s first set-aside for agricultural households.

Thirty percent of the units are being set aside for agricultural households.

To qualify for an agriculture set aside unit, at least one member of the household must be employed in the production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural commodities, dairying, and such.

That also includes the delivery and preparation of commodities for market or storage as well as work off the farm in the processing of any agricultural commodity.

The actual rent is determined by household size and income.

It is much like the 153-unit Juniper Apartments on Atherton Drive east of Van Ryn Avenue.

The three 3-story buildings will have a high degree of energy efficiency including solar panels.

It includes a community room, on-site laundry facilities, EV charging, plus outdoor green space and paseos along with play areas

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecavbulletin.com