PLACERVILLE, Calif. — El Dorado County is getting a significantly expanded jail facility in Placerville, but residents expecting an entirely new jail somewhere else in the county may be surprised.
The project underway at 300 Forni Road is an expansion of the existing Placerville Jail, not a replacement facility. County plans call for a roughly 23,000-square-foot, two-story Jail Re-Entry Facility to be built immediately adjacent to the existing Main Jail and connected to it by a secure corridor.
The project has been in development for nearly a decade. The Board of Supervisors accepted a conditional $25 million state grant under Senate Bill 844 in 2017 for the Placerville Rehabilitation, Recovery and Re-Entry Jail Expansion Project.
The county subsequently selected Roebbelen Contracting Inc. as the design-build contractor. In September 2023, the Board conditionally awarded the company a $37.38 million design-build contract, subject to state financing approval.
What Is Being Built?
The expansion is intended to address several longstanding deficiencies at the Placerville facility, particularly medical and mental health needs.
According to the county’s 2025-26 Civil Grand Jury report, construction includes approximately 22,000 square feet of new space, including a separate housing area for female inmates, a new medical wing, expanded mental health services, ADA-compliant cells and a computer lab.
The county’s construction documents describe the facility as a Jail Re-Entry Facility, with new inmate housing, support services, a covered exercise yard and a connection to the existing jail.
The project is intended to improve how the county manages inmates while providing more space for treatment, education and rehabilitation.
In a January 2025 letter to the California Board of State and Community Corrections, Chief Administrative Officer Tiffany Schmid described the project as the county’s “SB 844 Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reentry Facility” and noted that the original scope called for a new two-story addition connected to the existing jail.
No Increase in Overall Jail Capacity
One of the most important details for El Dorado County residents is what the project does not do.
The expansion is not expected to increase the county’s overall inmate capacity.
The 2025-26 Civil Grand Jury specifically reported that the new construction would not increase overall inmate capacity, even though it would substantially increase the services provided inside the jail.
That distinction matters.
El Dorado County currently operates two adult detention facilities — the Placerville Jail and the South Lake Tahoe Jail. The Sheriff’s Office lists the Placerville facility’s capacity at 303 inmates, plus eight outpatient medical beds, while the South Lake Tahoe facility can house up to 158 inmates.
The expansion is therefore primarily about space, treatment and operations, rather than creating a larger jail population.
A $40.7 Million Project
The county’s original estimated total project cost was approximately $40.67 million.
The project received $25 million through the state’s SB 844 program, with approximately $15.67 million identified as the county’s General Fund capital contribution.
That price tag has made the jail expansion one of the county’s major capital projects.
The county’s fiscal 2026-27 recommended budget includes another $21.6 million in appropriations for the Placerville Jail Expansion as part of a $65.2 million capital projects work plan.
Construction Schedule Has Shifted
The schedule has changed several times during the lengthy development process.
The county’s 2025-26 budget anticipated completion in June 2026, while the Civil Grand Jury’s review referenced completion in mid-summer 2026.
By January 2026, the Sheriff’s Office was preparing to hire additional correctional personnel in anticipation of the expansion’s completion in late summer 2026. The Board authorized five additional full-time-equivalent correctional officer positions and one correctional sergeant position for the project.
But subsequent county actions show that project work has continued beyond those earlier target dates.
In May 2026, the Board extended the county’s project-management agreement through May 19, 2027.
In June, the Board also extended engineering and construction-observation services associated with the project through May 2027 and increased one geotechnical services agreement to a maximum of $283,000.
Another engineering agreement was extended through May 2027 in June, bringing that contract’s maximum compensation to $150,162.
Those extensions do not necessarily mean the jail itself will remain under construction until May 2027. They do, however, demonstrate that project-related engineering, inspection, management and closeout work remains active.
More Than Bricks and Concrete
The expansion also has implications beyond incarceration.
The county has said the additional space will increase operational demands, including staffing, utilities, maintenance and other ongoing costs.
The Civil Grand Jury reported that the county estimated annual operating costs could rise by approximately $2.5 million once the expansion is fully operational. The county anticipated the need for additional correctional officers and sergeants to staff the expanded services.
That means the ultimate cost to taxpayers cannot be measured solely by the construction price.
The capital project creates a long-term operating obligation for the Sheriff’s Office and county government.
Why the Expansion Matters
For years, the Placerville Jail has had to accommodate medical, mental health, classification and programming needs within an aging facility.
The original state financing application identified the need for additional intake and inmate-processing space, medical and mental health services, administrative support and correctional staffing.
The new construction is intended to give the Sheriff’s Office room to separate different inmate populations, provide improved medical and mental health care, and expand rehabilitation and re-entry programming.
For residents, the practical question is whether the investment ultimately produces a safer and more functional detention system without creating unsustainable operating costs.
For county officials, that balance will become increasingly important as the facility moves from construction into full operation.
Bottom Line
So, is El Dorado County building a new jail?
Yes — and no.
There is a substantial new jail building going up in Placerville. But it is an expansion of the existing county jail, not a replacement for the current facility and not a new detention complex elsewhere in El Dorado County. The El Dorado County Jail is located at 300 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667.
The project adds roughly 23,000 square feet of secure space and significantly expands medical, mental health, housing and re-entry capabilities.
And despite the size and cost of the project, the county says residents should not expect a corresponding increase in the total number of inmates the county is authorized to house.
For El Dorado County taxpayers, the next chapter may be as important as the construction itself: how much it costs to operate the expanded facility once the last contractor leaves.
Public records: The county’s Board of Supervisors maintains project records through its legislative agenda system, while the Sheriff’s Office provides current information on the county’s two detention facilities.
