High Growth in Placer County
Placer County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state and nation. According to a new U.S. Census Bureau Report, Placer County’s growth rate over the past five years exceeded all other 58 California counties. From April of 2000 to June of 2005 Placer County grew 27.6 percent, ranking it the 34th highest it its rate of growth among 3,152 counties nationally. The Census calculates Placer’s population at 317,000 shoppers up from 248,0400 in 2000.
Fortunately, most of the growth has occurred in south Placer more specifically Lincoln, Roseville and Rocklin. The topography (flat) is conducive to building 6 to 10 new homes on an acre of ground. South Placer also has appropriate infrastructure in place to accommodate their accelerated growth.
East Placer County, consisting of the Sierra Foothill is a not as developer friendly. The city of Auburn did add a few more people last year (112) but most of the people who can afford to live there don’t have young children and so our school population is declining.
Although I live in El Dorado County, many of my clients live in Placer County. I have been a member of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce since 1997 and take in interest in city politics. Two years ago the city of Auburn was forced to comply with state mandated affordable housing legislation. They had been criticized for years because people who worked in Auburn could not afford to live there. Low-income housing advocates threatened lawsuits if the city would not build some affordable housing where “working people” like teachers, police and firefighters could afford to rent.
The city built 300 low-income apartments. So how many police, teachers and firefighters do we have today taking advantage of our affordable housing? None! It took the property management company (also a chamber member) nearly a year to fill the tax subsidized affordable housing. Where do you think most of the new tenants came from? Sacramento! And where do most of the tenants work? Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln in south Placer County. So Auburn spent tax dollars to attract tenants out of Sacramento that commute back down the hill to Roseville.
Government does many things well but much of what they do should be left up to the private sector. The next time affordable housing advocates request money for low income “working families” the city should just write a check to Sacramento.
Fortunately, most of the growth has occurred in south Placer more specifically Lincoln, Roseville and Rocklin. The topography (flat) is conducive to building 6 to 10 new homes on an acre of ground. South Placer also has appropriate infrastructure in place to accommodate their accelerated growth.
East Placer County, consisting of the Sierra Foothill is a not as developer friendly. The city of Auburn did add a few more people last year (112) but most of the people who can afford to live there don’t have young children and so our school population is declining.
Although I live in El Dorado County, many of my clients live in Placer County. I have been a member of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce since 1997 and take in interest in city politics. Two years ago the city of Auburn was forced to comply with state mandated affordable housing legislation. They had been criticized for years because people who worked in Auburn could not afford to live there. Low-income housing advocates threatened lawsuits if the city would not build some affordable housing where “working people” like teachers, police and firefighters could afford to rent.
The city built 300 low-income apartments. So how many police, teachers and firefighters do we have today taking advantage of our affordable housing? None! It took the property management company (also a chamber member) nearly a year to fill the tax subsidized affordable housing. Where do you think most of the new tenants came from? Sacramento! And where do most of the tenants work? Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln in south Placer County. So Auburn spent tax dollars to attract tenants out of Sacramento that commute back down the hill to Roseville.
Government does many things well but much of what they do should be left up to the private sector. The next time affordable housing advocates request money for low income “working families” the city should just write a check to Sacramento.
posted by Ken Calhoon at 8:25 AM
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