Placer County has signed off on roughly $46 million in building permits, clearing the way for Placer Creek, the first fully affordable housing project inside the 5,230-acre Placer Vineyards master plan. The development will bring 168 income- and rent-restricted apartments aimed at extremely low through low-income households to the southeast corner of Baseline Road and Westbrook Boulevard in unincorporated west Placer.
The permits were issued to Hurley Construction for multiple residential buildings and on-site infrastructure tied to Placer Creek, moving the long-discussed affordable community from planning into construction readiness. Coverage by the Sacramento Business Journal notes that this is the first time a fully affordable apartment community has advanced under the Placer Vineyards Specific Plan.
Project details and approvals
According to state CEQA filings, Placer Creek is planned on about 9.54 acres (APN 023-420-007) and will include 168 units split into 60 one-bedroom, 64 two-bedroom, and 44 three-bedroom apartments. The application seeks a Design/Site Review Agreement and a State Density Bonus to adjust parking requirements and to exempt the parcel from an active-adult requirement in the specific plan. The CEQA documents also state that the project is categorically exempt under Section 15182 because it implements an already approved specific plan.
Where it sits
The project is tucked inside Placer Vineyards, a 5,230-acre master plan in west Placer County that calls for more than 14,000 homes, hundreds of acres of commercial uses, and nearly 1,000 acres of parks and open space. As outlined by Placer County, Placer Creek is located in Property 1A, which is governed by the Placer Vineyards Specific Plan and related phasing rules.
Funding and county signoffs
A county progress report and related filings show the project cleared key policy and financing hurdles late last year and this spring. The county’s annual progress documents note that the Board authorized an affordable housing agreement locking in a 55-year affordability term, and that the development received tax-credit awards in April 2025, steps county staff identified as necessary to secure financing for the income-restricted units.
Construction and design
BuildZoom permit records list multiple entries for Placer Creek under Hurley Construction, showing per-building permits and valuations that line up with the mid-$40-million overall total for the complex. Reporting in the Sacramento Business Journal also credits Graber-Rasmussen Architects for the project rendering featured with its coverage.
Why it matters locally
Placer Creek will be a rare fully affordable enclave inside a large suburban master plan, potentially opening doors for workers and families who are priced out of nearby cities. The county’s recently adopted Affordable Housing Preference Policy, which gives priority to people who live or work locally, is designed to help route homes like these to Placer residents and employees as they come online.
With permits now issued, the developer and Hurley Construction are expected to move into site work and vertical construction in the coming months, while county staff track milestones and ensure compliance with the affordable housing agreement. We reached out to county planning staff for a detailed construction timetable and did not receive an immediate reply.
