Planning Commission approves 203-unit affordable housing development with childhood education center

The Indio Planning Commission unanimously approved the Sonora Homes project Wednesday night, paving the way for 203 affordable, mixed use housing units and an early childhood education center at the southeast corner of Fred Waring Drive and Hoover Avenue.

Developer Abode Communities presented plans for the 8.87-acre development, which will offer one, two, and three-bedroom units in seven buildings ranging from one to four stories in height. All units will be income-restricted to households earning no more than 80% of the area median income.

“The site is designed as a walkable community with seven blocks interconnected with a network of pedestrian paths,” Kristyn Cosgrove with KFA Architects said. She noted that the lower density courtyard-style buildings are located on the west and south ends of the project near a neighboring single-family home development.

The development will include several amenities such as a community room, early childhood education facility, a pool, on-site property management, resident services offices, laundry rooms, and open space areas.

The early childhood education center will serve both the residents and the broader Indio community. 

The project will be built in three phases, with construction of the first phase to include 107 units and the central community space. The second phase will be the rest of the 96 units, and the final phase will be the construction of the early childhood education center and playground.

The first phase could start construction as early as December 2026, provided the funding for the project is secured.

“Affordable housing financing is hard to come by right now so a lot of the schedule is dependent on that,” Brendan O’Donnell, associate vice president at Abode Communities noted. He added that Abode is currently working with the city to apply for funding from the state of California’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program. 

Seven community members spoke in-person in support of the project and Indio Assistant Planner Nikolas Guitron said the commission received 243 letters of support.

One community member, Azalia Gomez, grew up in Indio and now works for the non-profit housing organization Lift to Rise. She said she’s proud of how far the city has come with its development of businesses, but housing is just as important.

“Too many people are struggling with high rents and the cost of living and that makes it harder for them to truly thrive in this great community that we all love,” Gomez said. “Affordable housing is key to maintaining a balanced and inclusive community where everyone can enjoy the benefits of the city’s growth.”

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