Several housing developments including Painted Tree and Aster Park are underway north of University Drive in McKinney.

The number of permits issued for new single-family homes increased nearly 25% between 2023 and 2024, according to a 2024 McKinney development report. Several neighborhoods in north McKinney ranked within the top ten projects for the number of permits issued.

These neighborhoods are located within what the city calls its northwest sector, said Michael Quint, McKinney’s executive director of Development Services.

The setup

City officials have identified the quadrant as the next “big growth” area since 2015, he said.


“When we looked at the southwest quadrant of McKinney, we saw that a lot of the developable land would be consumed and developed,” Quint said. “It only made sense that developmental pressures were going to be realized somewhere else.”

That led to the city’s Northwest Sector Study, which was completed in 2015. That study laid the foundation for what development in the sector would look like and led to the city updating its comprehensive plan in 2018, Quint said.
What’s happening

Developers have since started multiple projects in the quadrant, including some within McKinney’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ. Homeowners living in McKinney’s ETJ don’t have access to city amenities but can pay for services like water and wastewater through a special financing district or a municipal management district, Quint said.

“From a financial standpoint to the developer, there’s a lot of benefit to developing in the ETJ but we think there’s intrinsic value in being part of the city,” he said. “You get access to reliable utilities, water and wastewater services. You get access to a great parks and library system.”


Diving in deeper

While two planned municipal utility districts—Honey Creek and Colmena Ranch—are expected to bring thousands of homes to the quadrant, other neighborhood development projects will also add to the area’s housing options. Learn more about six more housing communities planned, in development and nearing completion in north McKinney. This list is not comprehensive.

1. Aster Park

The community, announced in 2022 by international real estate firm Hines, was acquired by Starwood Capital Group in April 2025, according to a news release. The community will be gated and offer floorplans from five different home builders. The neighborhood will include single-family, townhome and multifamily residences.
  • Over 500 acres
  • Over 1,100 homes
  • Amenities: 62 acres of open space, amenity center, hike and bike trails, resort-style pool
  • School district: Prosper ISD
  • www.asterparktx.com
2. Eliana


The first phase of the Eliana development will feature 235 single family lots and various amenities on over 75 acres located on the city’s border with Prosper, according to city planning documents.
  • About 79 acres
  • 235 homes
  • Amenities: Playground, pickleball courts
  • School district: Prosper ISD
3. Erwin Farms

The community is located adjacent to the 212-acre Erwin Park and offers homes from two home builders: Pulte Homes and Wyatt James, according to its website. The neighborhood also includes a trail system and resort-style amenities.4. Highland Lakes

The development features homes built by Taylor Morrison and Pulte Homes. The community, located just east of Prosper, is expected to be completed in 2028.5. Painted Tree

The community features three distinct districts and includes homes built by more than 10 homebuilding companies. The development’s master plan includes 100 acres of natural open space and a 20-acre fish-stocked lake. Painted Tree is actively under development and will include single-family, townhome and multifamily residences.
  • 1,100 acres
  • 3,800 homes
  • Amenities: 28 miles of nature trails, three community hubs, two pools
  • School district: McKinney ISD
  • www.paintedtreetx.com
6. Trinity Falls


The master-planned community is located in two adjacent municipal utility districts, and was acquired by Johnson Development in 2016. The community, which is still in development, offers homes from seven different builders, hundreds of acres of green space and various amenities, according to its website. The neighborhood includes both single-family and townhome residences
  • 2,000 acres
  • Over 5,200 homes
  • Amenities: dog park, fitness center, hike and bike trails, playground, pools, splash pad
  • School district: McKinney ISD
  • www.trinityfalls.com