River Islands at Lathrop is on pace to build nearly 400 homes this year.

Thirty families have moved into new homes as if the end of 2014 as the first residents of the planned community of 10,800 homes.

Three builders sold 86 homes and have started building 200 homes as 2014 drew to a close. Building started in earnest in August.

Cambay Group in July projected 90 homes would be built or started in 2013 with 250 homes breaking ground in 2015. Then in 2016 the target is for 500 homes with production expected to continue at that level in subsequent years.

If the pace continues, home building will exceed earlier projections.

The interest is incredible, Cambay Project Manager Susan DellOsso said in reference to traffic at model homes and the visitors center.

That means River Islands by itself could eclipse Manteca as the fastest growing city in San Joaquin County when it comes to new homes being built. Manteca has been leading the county with an average of 300 housing units a year since 2008. There are a lot of draws for the 4,800-acre planned community. They include:

Universal river access via a linear park along the edge of 14 miles of San Joaquin River and delta habitat. Thats in addition to 400 acres of lakes within River Islands.

A park of some type within a quarter of a mile of every home in River Islands. The first interior park being built will have soccer fields, extensive tree plantings and a wide expanse of steps leading down to the waters edge of a lake. It is being named Michael Vega Park in honor of the first Lathrop resident killed in the Global War on Terror.

Service by an independent district that will provide electricity at rates ultimately 25 percent below what PG&E charges.

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River Islands: 400 homes on 2014?