Placer County Planning Commission rejects controversial affordable housing

The Placer County Planning Commission on Thursday rejected a proposal to develop 240-unit affordable housing complex — leaving the future of the project in jeopardy.

The Hope Way Apartments, a project submitted by developer USA Properties Fund, Inc., was proposed to be built on 11.43-acres in Penryn, an unincorporated community. More than 100 residents attended the Planning Commission meeting and, during the public comment period that lasted more than 3 hours, urged the commission to vote down the agreement that would have allowed the project to advance.

“I realize the need for housing,” said Vick Massenkoff, a Penryn resident, “but not at the risk of the lives of the community or the residents who would occupy the project.”

The agreement up for consideration sought to construct 12 three-story apartment buildings along with two community buildings at Hope Way and Penryn Road. The developers also asked for various allowances related to the county’s building and zoning restrictions.

A diverse group of people attended the meeting to offer their thoughts. Commenters included the Penryn fire chief, a school board president, a retired law enforcement officer and a pastor. Everyone who spoke discussed problems they had with the project.

Commenter’s top concern related to the project’s impact on emergency evacuations. The commission members debated this issue as well, weighing how first responders could appropriately help with an increase in residents. Commissioners Amber Beckler, Robyn Dahlgren and Trent Jewell voted against a design review agreement for the apartments. Commissioners Richard Johnson and George Alves voted for the project. Commissioner Jeff Ronten was absent, and Commissioner Mark Watts abstained from voting on the design review agreement.

“This is probably the single most important decision you’ll have to make,” Sheila Travnikar, a 33-year Penryn resident, said during the public comment period.

A proposed roundabout leading to Penryn Road rankled many speakers who said drivers would clog that road while evacuating the area during an emergency.

“It will be chaos,” said Donna Delno, a Penryn resident and representative with the Placer Citizens for Neighborhood Rights organization.

The roundabout is the appropriate solution to address traffic concerns, said Rob Hananouchi, a traffic engineer who completed a report examining patterns for the project. Evacuations would be coordinated by first responders and Placer County staff members have not found any safety concerns with the current design.

Penryn Fire Protection District Chief Ian Gow said his crews receive about 600 calls per year and on average responded to incidents in six minutes. With the construction of the Hope Way Apartments, Gow said the call volume per year could double under the worst case scenario.

Commissioner Beckler said she remained unconvinced the fire department could handle twice its call volume with the same amount of resources.

In contrast, Commissioner Alves said first responders work together all the time behind the scenes to coordinate a sufficient plan to ensure residents’ safety.

Delno, a representative with the Placer Citizens for Neighborhood Rights, an organization opposed to the Hope Way Apartments, said it does not seek to scuttle the affordable housing project, but to either reduce the project’s density, build the project in a separate location or address residents’ public safety concerns.

Milo Terzich, a developer with USA Properties Fund, declined to outline next steps for the project, and said the companies’ attorneys will have to review the planning commissioners’ decision.

This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 7:33 PM.