The Riverbank City Council has dropped a 39-unit project for the unhoused in favor of putting a park on the site.
The housing would have gone on two vacant acres near the corner of Stanislaus Street and Jackson Avenue, in the northwest part of town.
The council agreed Tuesday night to pursue the park after residents said this area lacks such amenities. It does have Zerillo Park at its east edge near downtown, but no other parks are in the mile-long stretch to the northwestern city limit.
The city purchased the land for $550,000 in 2022 and asked for proposals from housing developers. It chose a group that includes Brad Hawn, a former Modesto councilman who is active in the cause.
The $13 million project would have provided transitional housing for about 120 people in studios and one- and two-bedroom units. A community center would have had services for residents with mental health issues, foster children entering adulthood, and other clients.