CHOWCHILLA NEWS | LOCAL PLANNING & COMMUNITY NEWS · 2026
A substantial housing proposal on the southwest edge of Chowchilla entered state environmental review in April 2026. City filings for tentative tract map 22-0011 describe up to 188 residences on an 18.24-acre parcel currently in unincorporated Madera County, together with the annexation of additional neighboring land.
How the 188 units are divided
The project’s initial study describes 17 duplex buildings totaling 34 units on approximately 7.85 acres, plus 18 apartment buildings that would contain 154 additional units on 10.39 acres. The apartment portion is proposed as below-market-rate affordable housing, with family-sized layouts emphasized. These are planned units rather than homes already available for rent.
More land involved than the building site
The development portion covers roughly 18.24 acres, but a separate approximately 45-acre area is proposed for annexation only. The filing says no immediate development is proposed on those adjoining parcels. Keeping those categories separate is important: the full review area is not equivalent to the acreage of new homes.
Public facilities and traffic questions
The plan shows roads connecting Lincoln Avenue and Road 15, utility services from Chowchilla, pedestrian infrastructure, a clubhouse, management facilities, a pool, open space, a park and recreation trails. Residents can examine how that future construction would interact with existing roads and community facilities.
Timeline is still a projection
The April 2026 record says construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2027, with a phased buildout possibly lasting through 2031. That is a planning assumption, not a final authorization or completion date. Chowchilla News will follow agency decisions, subsequent permits and financing announcements rather than report a proposed neighborhood as built.
Official documents
- California CEQA — Chowchilla Affordable Multi-Family Housing, SCH 2026040090
- City of Chowchilla Planning Department
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