Manteca is slowly — but surely — trying to reduce the dominance of single family homes in the local new housing market in a bid to provide housing that is more affordable to those with non-Bay Area paychecks as well as options to meet changing lifestyle needs.

Councilman Jose Nuño provided a snapshot of city housing trends in the past several years during Wednesday’s State of the City event at the Manteca Transit Center.

*Manteca issued permits for 572 new single family homes in 2019.

*There have been 1,686 new single family homes built in the city during the past three years.

*Builders completed 172 multiple family units — primarily apartments — in Manteca during 2019.

*Three permits that have been issued so far this year to build 370 more apartments at two different locations — one east of Bass Pro Shops south of the 120 Bypass and one north of Lathrop Road east of Union Road.

*The city has contributed money to help construct 48 subsidized apartments for low income seniors on Cottage Avenue that will be completed in the coming months. It is the fifth low-income housing complex to be built in Manteca. There are also 150 units of “workforce housing” that has a waiting list of more than 100 people.

*Locally based developers are planning to build the 1,301 home Griffin Park project located west of Main Street and south of Woodward Avenue over the next seven years. It will involve seven distinct neighborhoods connected together by greenbelt-style bikeways. There will be a wide array of at-market housing for various incomes including a gated neighborhood of executive style housing.

Nuño noted that the city — through a council subcommittee consisting of himself and Mayor Ben Cantu — are working on incentives and design standard changes to address rising housing costs as well as making neighborhoods more livable. Nuño works for a non-profit that builds and manages affordable housing complexes while Cantu has nearly 30 years background as a city planner.

Nuño also noted the city is working on addressing the homeless problem with Inner City Action to reduce the number of homeless on the street, a comment that drew applause from the audience.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulleitn.com