The Placer County Board of Supervisors has tentatively approved the Hope Way Apartments project. The development, proposed by USA Properties Fund Inc., would add 240 affordable housing units on approximately 11 acres of vacant land in Penryn, located near Interstate 80.
The project advanced following a narrow 3-2 vote by the Placer County Board of Supervisors, granting design review approval under county development standards. State incentives for affordable housing, including the bonus density law, played a role, allowing the project to bypass certain community plan requirements and secure nine development concessions and waivers, according to the County of Placer.
District 2 Supervisor Shanti Landon and District 3 Supervisor Anthony DeMattei voted against the project, highlighting a split among board members as the community weighs affordable housing needs against the county’s traditionally rural character.
Previously, the Placer County Planning Commission denied a waiver and the design review agreement, but these rulings were overturned on appeal by USA Properties Fund and YIMBY Law. In contrast, Placer Citizens for Neighborhood Rights had their appeal denied. The state’s Department of Housing and Community Development also sent a letter warning Placer County of potential fines and the loss of land-use authority if by-right affordable housing projects are blocked.
Board Chair and District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore described the decision as difficult, highlighting the challenge of balancing rural community interests with state mandates aimed at preventing substantial financial penalties, according to the county’s release.
The full Board of Supervisors meeting is available on YouTube, and the Hope Way project is scheduled for final consideration at a special session on January 26, 2026.
