Riverbank council denies fee waiver for 67‑unit Riverbank Residential Home Village after months of public comment

The City of Riverbank on April 22 voted 5‑0 to deny a fee‑waiver request and a PLHA (Permanent Local Housing Allocation) plan amendment submitted by Central Valley Community Resources Inc. (CVCR) for a proposed 67‑unit Riverbank Residential Home Village.

City staff summarized the applicant’s requests and the project background before the public hearing. Staff said the city had previously committed roughly $1.5 million in matching funds from a state allocation secured via Senator Eggman to support a transitional and permanent supportive housing project, and that CVCR had applied for $20 million through the state Homekey Plus program (a 1:1 match program). Staff also explained that CVCR sought waiver of building permit fees, system development fees and other plan‑check and utility fees; staff reported the PLHA amendment request to reallocate three years of unspent PLHA funds (estimated by staff at about $417,298) to the CVCR project.

Darlene Barber Martinez, representing Central Valley Community Resources, and Arlene Figueroa Morales (CVCR CFO/board member) presented the Riverbank Residential Home Village as a two‑parcel development (2.88 acres and 1.64 acres) that would deliver 67 furnished units (each about 643 square feet; two bedrooms, one bath; eight…