Placer County opens renovated apartments at former hotel in Roseville

After experiencing the loss of her husband in 2015, Placer County resident Meranda experienced homelessness for eight years. She began to turn her life around in January after connecting with The Gathering Inn, and as of last week, she was moving into her new home with her son thanks to securing a spot at Placer County's newest supportive housing facility. "Honestly, it doesn't even feel real," Meranda said. "In the back of my mind, I've been screaming with excitement because I'm not homeless anymore." Over the next few weeks, more than a dozen new families are moving into the Sun Rose Apartments, a permanent supportive housing facility at the site of the former Hampton Inn & Suites in Roseville, marking the end of the first phase of renovations. The opening of Sun Rose Apartments, located on Sunrise Avenue at Douglas Boulevard, is largest single addition to Placer County's permanent supportive housing inventory in recent history. Transformation of the facility was funded primarily by Homekey, the state's competitive grant program that followed from Project Roomkey, which urgently sheltered vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in trailers, motels and hotels to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In this first phase of renovations, 36 units were refurbished with modernized amenities, improved accessibility features and energy-efficient systems aimed at reducing operational costs and environmental impact. Some units were already occupied by residents who carried over from Roomkey. The Sun Rose facility will undergo further renovations over the next year, including two behavioral health programs on site – a recovery bridge program and crisis respite program – along with renovation of an additional 44 apartment units. "This is a proud moment. Through our collaborative efforts, this vision is now a reality, and we are able to serve these members of our community in a profoundly meaningful way," said District 4 Supervisor and Board Chair Suzanne Jones. "It's support and compassion paired with on-site accountability. Kudos to our HHS team and their partners." "Our county's approach, pairing wrap-around support services with housing, is key as we work to strengthen our housing and sheltering options in South Placer," said District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore. "This project creates opportunities for our most vulnerable residents to rebuild their lives and achieve long-term stability." Sun Rose's transformation is part of a broader strategy to address homelessness in Placer County. Over the past three years, the county has seen a slight but consistent decline in annual Point-In-Time counts. The 2024 count of sheltered and unsheltered individuals surveyed at least 702 experiencing homelessness in Placer County, down from 709 in 2023. "Stable housing is the foundation upon which individuals can build a better future," said Dr. Rob Oldham, director of Placer County Health and Human Services. "As we continue to expand and improve our supportive housing offerings, we anticipate further reductions in homelessness and an enhanced quality of life for our residents." The Sun Rose facility is operated by local nonprofit partner AMI Housing, which screens applicants referred by local homeless services providers and ensures residents adhere to rental terms, including conduct. Residents in permanent supportive housing are required to pay a portion of their income toward rent. "This milestone at Sun Rose Apartments marks an important step in addressing homelessness in the region," said Roseville Mayor Bruce Houdesheldt. "Permanent supportive housing, when combined with services and resources, has shown to be an effective approach to ending chronic homelessness, providing numerous benefits to both individuals and their communities."