Housing Trust Placer

Serving Placer County since 2020

Building Affordable Housing Dreams

Empowering communities with access to affordable, safe, and sustainable housing options.

Who We Are

Who we are

Housing Trust Placer, Inc. (HTP) is a non-profit housing organization established in 2020, dedicated to making affordable housing a reality for the Placer County community. With a diverse board of directors skilled in affordable housing, banking, real estate development, and fundraising, HTP effectively connects public and private resources. Our mission is to ensure low-income families have access to safe and stable housing, turning their housing dreams into reality.

Our Team

Robyn
van Ekelenburg
Chief Executive Officer

Robyn has 25 years of real estate development experience, with 18 years focused on affordable housing program development. She partners with developers statewide on various aspects of affordable housing and serves as the CEO for Housing Trust Placer, supporting affordable housing initiatives throughout Placer County.

Jim
Bayless
Board Chair

Jim has over 35 years of experience in residential development and homebuilding across Northern California. He has held key roles with leading publicly traded builders and founded two successful local homebuilding companies. He is the founder and President of Inspire Homes in El Dorado Hills. Jim’s leadership extends to industry associations and non-profits, reflecting his commitment to both business and community.

Dan
Heldridge
Vice Chair

Dan’s career in community development includes leadership roles at Morgan Stanley and the Low Income Investment Fund. His work spans micro-finance, business finance, affordable housing, and emerging markets, focusing on leveraging capital for social good and supporting minority-owned developers.

Dave
Cook
Board Member

Dave Cook, with a 40-year career in residential real estate development, has held various leadership positions and founded consulting firms specializing in land development services. He has served on multiple community boards and now focuses primarily on Housing Trust Placer as he approaches retirement.

Joe Pitzner
Secretary

Joe brings over 20 years of housing design expertise, working with for-profit builders nationwide, including in California, Nevada, and Utah. His deep understanding of collaborative design processes enhances construction efficiency throughout the project lifecycle. Joe sees immense potential in applying these strategies to the non-profit sector. At BSB Design, he fosters an innovation mindset, consistently pursuing creative solutions to advance residential housing design.

Gabe Brown
Treasurer

Gabe Brown has over 15 years of experience in affordable housing and financing, overseeing construction loans and tax credit equity investments at Bank of the West. He manages the bank's FHLB SF AHP program and serves on the loan committee for California Community Reinvestment Corporation, approving permanent financing for affordable housing projects statewide.

Bruce R. Inman
Board Member

Bruce Inman, a founding partner of Inman Law Group, LLP, specializes in creating common interest developments and advising community associations. With extensive experience in various development projects, he has held leadership positions in industry associations and regularly speaks on community association legal issues.

Jim Ray
Board Member

Jim Ray, a Stanford graduate and registered Civil Engineer, recently retired as President of MacKay and Somps Civil Engineers after a 44-year career with the firm. He grew the Sacramento office significantly, received multiple industry awards, and played a key role in major residential developments and land use policy issues.

Deana Ellis
Board Member

Deana is Vice President of Land Resources at Cresleigh Homes, overseeing site acquisition, project entitlements, and land development in Northern California. With extensive experience in mixed-use and infill projects, she advocates for pedestrian, transit, and bike-centered urban revitalization and serves on boards for the Urban Land Institute and North State Building Industry Association.

Holly Tiche
Board Member

Holly is President of Placer Ranch, Inc., overseeing a 2,220-acre mixed-use development in Placer County owned by philanthropist Eli Broad. A graduate of Sacramento State, she has managed Broad’s real estate holdings in the Sacramento area since 1996 and serves on several local boards, including The Foundation at Sacramento State and Housing Trust Placer.

Lina Vo
Board Member

Lina is Vice President in the Community Development Finance group at Morgan Stanley, overseeing the underwriting and management of a $600 million portfolio of affordable housing construction loans. With over 10 years of experience in affordable housing and lending, she previously worked at the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and holds a BA in Finance from Temple University and an MBA from Boston University.

Kim Nash
Board Member

Kim is a seasoned real estate professional with over 40 years of experience in real estate and entrepreneurship. A graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Journalism, she began her career in residential real estate, working with Lyon & Associates for 10 years. Kim holds a broker’s license with KBN Real Estate Services and has a strong background in real estate management. In addition to her work in real estate, Kim has owned and managed a local franchise and currently collaborates with her husband at Professional Education Services, a CPA continuing education company.

Teresa
Martinez Gonzales
Housing Consultant

Teresa, a UC Berkeley Anthropology graduate, has over 15 years of experience in community building, specializing in municipal workforce development and housing programs. She focuses on connecting neighborhoods to resources and technology, while advocating for housing and climate change issues.

Our Misson

Partnering to provide financing and services that will increase the opportunities available for lower-income families and individuals to obtain decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing in Placer County. Through collaboration with public and private sectors, we are dedicated to ensuring that everyone in our community has access to a place they can proudly call home.

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What we do

Fundraising

Leverage County funding with donations from banks, hospitals, companies and individuals, charitable foundations, as well as county, state and federal grants, tax credits and other funding opportunities.

Aquisition

Leverage local knowledge, contacts, and partners to locate, option and help acquire and /or construct or redevelop affordable housing units.

Financing

Provide gap financing through public and private sources to facilitate affordable housing and work in coordination with Placer County priorities to fulfill mutual objectvies which promote affordable hhousing within the community.

Advocacy & Education

Educate the public and advocate for achieveable affordable housing solutions in Placer County that deliver safe and sanitary shelter to those families and individual in need.

Latest Projects

We are dedicated to creating affordable housing solutions that strengthen and uplift communities. Our recent projects focus on providing safe, affordable homes that promote stability and growth. Stay tuned for updates as we continue to make a lasting impact across Placer County.

Placer County Approves Parkside @ Sabre City

A Unique Build-to-Rent Community.

With financing from Placer County, Housing Trust Placer purchased 3.78 acres in Western Placer County to develop 22 lots, each featuring a primary home and an ADU, totaling 44 homes.

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New Affordable Housing Development at Penryn Road

In Partnership with USA Properties Fund, Inc

Housing Trust Placer is under contract to acquire 3130 Penryn Road for the development of 240 affordable apartment homes in partnership with USA Properties Fund, Inc..

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All our efforts are made possible with county & community support. Donate

News

Stay up-to-date with the latest news, announcements, and community impacts as we continue our mission to provide safe, affordable homes. Check back often for updates on our work and milestones in Placer County.

May 2025 Housing Trust Placer Launches Homebuyer Assistance Program

Housing Trust Placer has been selected by Placer County to administer its new First-Time Homebuyer and Workforce Housing Preservation Down Payment Assistance Programs. These programs are designed to help income-eligible households purchase homes in unincorporated areas of the county. As part of the effort, Housing Trust Placer will offer virtual education sessions on eligibility, how to apply, pre-purchase planning, and how to access additional local and state resources. This initiative aims to make homeownership more accessible and sustainable for working families in the region.

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November 2024 West Placer affordable housing project combines primary residences with ADUs

The Parkside at Sabre City development in West Placer County has officially broken ground, combining primary residences with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to offer affordable housing for income-eligible families. This innovative project includes 44 homes and is designed to help renters eventually transition to homeownership. By utilizing manufactured homes, Housing Trust Placer has found a cost-effective approach to address the region’s housing needs. Completion is expected by the end of 2025, providing stability and opportunity for local families.

Read the News Release on the County of Placer Website

November 2024 Affordable housing development in Placer County breaks ground

Placer County has officially started construction on Parkside at Sabre City, an affordable housing development featuring 44 units, each with a primary residence and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Led by Housing Trust Placer, this project aims to foster community growth and provide housing options for local families.

See the Full Story on ABC10

September 2024 Join us for Housing Trust Placer’s Annual Local Housing Trust Fund Meeting!

This event is open to the public and provides a unique opportunity for community members, stakeholders, and housing advocates to come together to discuss plans for supporting affordable housing in our region.

Date: September 16th, 2024
Time: 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM (Pacific Time)
Location: This meeting will be hosted on Zoom
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June 2024 USA Properties Fund plans first affordable housing project in Penryn

Housing Trust Placer is under contract for the acquisition of 3130 Penryn Road, Penryn for the development of 240-affordable apartment homes, which will be constructed in partnership with local developer USA Properties Fund, Inc. Please continue to check back for updates on this project and all other projects with Housing Trust Placer. Housing Trust Placer is under contract for the acquisition of 3130 Penryn Road, Penryn for the development of 240-affordable apartment homes, which will be constructed in partnership with local developer USA Properties Fund, Inc..
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September 2023 Housing Trust Placer to Host its Second Annual Fundraiser on October 2nd

Housing Trust Placer will host its second annual fundraiser at Topgolf in Roseville on October 2, 2023. Sponsors include Taylor Builders (Event Sponsor), North State Building Industry Association, Marques Engineering, and King Engineering. About 200 guests are expected for a fun-filled evening of golf, prizes, and a live auction featuring exciting travel, golf, and culinary experiences.

March 2023 A DASH of New Regulations to Boost Affordable Housing

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, introduced the Decent, Affordable, Safe Housing for All ("DASH") Act today, aiming to add nearly two million affordable homes. Key proposals include lowering the minimum project financing with tax-exempt bonds from 50% to 25%, increasing tax credit availability. It also provides a 50% cost basis boost for projects with at least 20% Extremely Low Income (ELI) households and calls for a temporary 12.5% increase in the allocation of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, the main tool for affordable housing development.

February 2023 Placer County and City of Roseville Win Prohousing Designation

Congratulations to Placer County and the City of Roseville for earning the Prohousing designation from California, recognized by Governor Newsom for their proactive housing efforts. This designation boosts their chances for funding from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Placer County was noted for its consistent funding to preserve workforce housing and acquire sites for affordable housing. The ten jurisdictions with this designation are: Citrus Heights, El Cerrito, Fontana, Oakland, Placer County, Roseville, Sacramento, Sacramento County, San Diego, and West Sacramento.

Tiered Sponsorship Opportunities

Support our mission and make a lasting impact on the community by becoming a sponsor. Our tiered sponsorship options offer businesses and individuals the chance to contribute at various levels, each with unique benefits and recognition. Join us in making affordable housing a reality for all!