Massive 55+ Community Approved in Central California
A $1.1 billion development plan for 2,500 homes exclusively for seniors has received preliminary approval in Fresno County.
Plans for a $1.1 billion, 1,804-acre senior living community in Friant, California, have been approved by the Fresno County Planning Commission. Dubbed Friant Ranch, the development aims to build 2,500 residential units and 250,000 square feet of commercial space exclusively for residents aged 55 and older.
The project, which has been in development since 1997, would significantly alter the landscape of the small town of Friant, which had a population of 446 in the 2020 census. It also includes plans for recreational areas and trails.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to give the project its final review on October 20. If approved, construction could take up to a decade to complete.
This is not the first time Friant Ranch has sought approval. Fresno County initially greenlit the plans in 2011, but the California Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2018, citing the county's failure to adequately address the development's environmental impacts. Environmental advocates have raised concerns that the project's environmental review, which dates back to 2009, is too outdated.
The proposed development comes as California anticipates a substantial increase in its senior population. Projections indicate that by 2040, Californians aged 65 and older will represent more than a fifth of the state's residents, a 59% increase from current numbers, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.