Phoenix-based real estate developer Walton has plans to build a 337-unit affordable home community, Las Colinas Village, in the Inland Empire city of San Jacinto. Walton purchased a 94-acre land site for the development. The development is in the early pre-construction stages of development, and homes will begin to break ground in 2022 with the first homes delivered in 2023.

Many developers and investors have shown increasing interest in the Inland Empire for affordable housing development. "We were looking for land that fit an affordable housing segment," Barry Dluzen, EVP of land and real estate acquisition and development at Walton, tells GlobeSt.com. "That is our focus across the country, and that drew us to this area on the Inland Empire. The location on Ramona Parkway, near the major thoroughfares through the town and near major transportation corridors were at the top of the list for why we like the property."

Walton was looking at the land site and planning the project prior to the start of the pandemic; however, the public health crisis has only increased the need for affordable housing in Southern California. "We were working on this project before COVID hit, and we continue to be bullish on affordability in the Inland Empire. From what we have seen and heard from other market experts around the country, there is increased demand for the suburban markets on the outskirts of urban markets," says Dluzen. "Prior to COVID, there was a commuting factor, especially for travel towards the coast but now more people have the opportunity to telecommute. Now, the market is more appealing because people don't have to travel. That makes home purchases in the market that much easier. If anything, that has made us even more bullish, not only in Southern California but across the country."