On June 23, 2026, the City Council approved Emblem Hercules Apartments, a proposed rental apartment community consisting of 162 market rate and 18 low-income units with a mixture of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units, surface parking, clubhouse with fitness room, leasing and management office, parcel storage and social areas.

Approvals included a Planned Development Permit, Conditional Use Permit, a Design Review Permit, and an Addendum to the Hercules New Town Center Environmental Impact Report. The full approval documents and plans are available at agenda files 26-129 and 26-155. 

Developer: Quarterra

A pre-application pursuant to Government Code 65589.5, the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), was submitted on October 21, 2024, when the City's Housing Element had not yet been certified. A full application n pursuant to Government Code 65589.5, the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), was submitted on April 14, 2025.  

As a housing development project with 10 percent of the total units available to very low-income households, the project qualifieed for the "Builder's Remedy 2.0" under state law. This limited the City's ability to deny the project or to apply conditions that would have made the project infeasible.