For Catholic school teachers and other educators, housing costs can be a burden in many U.S. cities.

Catholic dioceses around the United States are looking for ways to develop their underutilized real estate to provide housing for Catholic school teachers who struggle to afford rent in many U.S. cities, reports Katie Collins Scott in National Catholic Reporter. “Many public school teachers struggle to afford housing close to where they work, and it can be even more difficult for Catholic educators, who make on average 26% less than their public school counterparts, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.”
In San Jose, California, the local diocese renovated a former convent into housing for teachers at its schools. “Migration to the suburbs, parish consolidations, and fewer people entering the priesthood and religious life have left a sizable quantity of underused and vacant properties, said Maddy Johnson, program manager for the Church Properties Initiative.”
While convents provide a convenient existing layout for communal living, “Solutions for people with growing families or who are ready for home ownership are more challenging, said education and housing experts, but they hope projects emerge.”
Aside from teacher housing, a growing ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ movement is calling on faith-based organizations to consider building housing on properties they own. Last year, California passed a law that eases the permitting process to encourage churches to do so.
FULL STORY: Parishes turn former convents into affordable housing for teachers

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie