Indio approves 240-unit affordable apartment complex near Jefferson Street

The Indio Planning Commission voted on Thursday to approve a 240-unit multifamily apartment project south of Avenue 42 and west of Jefferson Street.

The Avenue 42 Apartments will include 237 income-restricted affordable units and three manager units in eight three-story buildings.

The project, proposed by Brandon Hodge of Lincoln Avenue Communities, will sit on a 9.98-acre site within the Northgate Project Master Plan area. It includes a clubhouse and leasing office, a swimming pool, a fitness center, a children’s play area, a dog park and a social services office, according to a city staff report.

Rents will be set for households earning between 30% and 70% of area median income, with monthly rents ranging from about $650 for a one-bedroom unit to more than $2,000 for a four-bedroom unit, Hodge said.

During the discussion, Chair Gloria Franz commissioner asked whether shade structures near the pool area could be made more permanent than the fabric sails shown in initial plans, saying the material tends to sag and tear over time. The developer would look into alternative shading options.

A representative for the developer said the project will include a solar power system that exceeds the minimum required under the state’s Title 24 building standards. The Avenue 42 project would be the company’s first in the Coachella Valley.

The commission’s approval also modified conditions of approval, including a condition addressing electric vehicle charging requirements, which the applicant is separately seeking to reduce through the state’s building code process.

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