Penryn neighbors push back against affordable housing complex
PENRYN -- A proposed affordable housing development in the Placer County community of Penryn is drawing strong pushback from residents, who say the project is simply too large for their rural community.
On Thursday night, neighbors packed a town hall meeting to voice concerns about the Hope Way Apartments, a 240-unit complex made up of 12 three-story buildings. The project is expected to house at least 600 people, though Placer County officials estimate the number could climb closer to 1,200, depending on household sizes.
That would effectively double the town's current population of just under 1,100 residents.
"It's a monstrosity compared to the rest of Penryn," said longtime resident Brian Myers. "There's nothing like it for miles and miles around here."
The development is part of a broader statewide effort to boost affordable housing.
Under California law, cities and counties are required to meet minimum housing quotas or risk losing access to funding and facing penalties. But residents in Penryn say the state's housing goals shouldn't come at the cost of overwhelming small towns.
"My first reaction was, 'You've got to be kidding,' " Myers said. "It's the most inappropriate thing I could think of for rural Penryn."
Locals point to several concerns: narrow roads, limited access to grocery stores, no public transportation, aging sewer and water infrastructure, and a fire department that residents say isn't equipped to handle a significant population increase.
"For our population, we're told around 60 units would make sense," said resident Donna Delno. "But 240? With all those cars and people? We don't even have a grocery store in Penryn."
Despite the opposition, the project remains in its early stages. It must still undergo both environmental and design reviews. Once complete, the county will open a public comment period before making any final decisions.
In a statement, Placer County officials acknowledged the concerns.
"We know the community has questions and concerns, and we are here to listen as we continue our careful review of this project," the statement read.
While many residents say they're not against affordable housing, they're urging planners to scale back the size of the complex.