Photo courtesy of Placer County

AUBURN, CA (MPG) - The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tentatively approved a design review agreement and state density bonus requests for the proposed Hope Way Apartments project in Penryn. 

The project, proposed by USA Properties Fund Inc., includes 240 affordable apartment units on approximately 11 acres of vacant land along Penryn Road near Interstate 80. The site is zoned for multifamily housing of up to 30 units per acre. 

The design review approval allows the project to move forward in accordance with Placer County’s development standards. The state density bonus requests provide flexibility from general plan and community plan requirements under state law in exchange for the inclusion of affordable housing. The Hope Way application includes nine development concessions and waivers under the bonus density law. 

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 3-2 in favor of the project with District 2 Supervisor Shanti Landon and District 3 Supervisor Anthony DeMattei voting “no.”  

The board also tentatively ratified county staff’s determination that the project is consistent with previous environmental studies undertaken when the site was rezoned in 2024. 

In October, the Placer County Planning Commission voted 3-2 with one abstention to deny the design review agreement and voted “no” on one waiver request – a deviation from the Horseshoe Bar/Penryn Community Plan’s Level of Service policy.  

The commission’s decision was appealed by three groups – Placer Citizens for Neighborhood Rights, USA Properties Fund and YIMBY Law. The board tentatively upheld the appeals by both USA Properties Fund and YIMBY Law to reverse the commission’s decision. The appeal by Placer Citizens for Neighborhood Rights to more wholly deny the affordable housing project was tentatively denied.  

The board’s deliberations took into account a staff report and presentations from each appellant. Staff and county counsel also advised of a letter from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development asking for the Planning Commission’s decision to be remedied and requiring a response from the county by Jan. 9, 2026.  

State housing agencies have warned local jurisdictions that denial of “by right” affordable housing projects could result in heavy fines – potentially millions of dollars - and that the state could strip away local land use authority where developers would be allowed to build outside the scope of established community plans and standards.  

“This was not an easy decision,” said Board Chair and District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore.

 “Approving high-density housing in one of our rural communities runs counter to what many residents expect and want. But the state has placed counties in an increasingly untenable position when it comes to affordable housing. By approving this project, we are safeguarding our taxpayers from the burden of excessive fines and protecting what is left of local control.” 

The full Board of Supervisors meeting can be viewed on YouTube. 

The Hope Way project is scheduled to come back to the Board of Supervisors for final action at a special meeting scheduled for Jan. 26, 2026.