The district plans to build workforce housing for 10 percent of its employees in the next decade and explore other ways to contribute to housing development.
The San Diego Unified School District is stepping into the effort to build more affordable housing, reports Jemma Stephenson for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The district’s board approved a plan to develop workforce housing for its employees, explore the potential for affordable housing at five district-owned sites, and create a regional housing finance authority with the San Diego Community College District. According to the SDUSD board president Cody Petterson, the affordable housing shortage in the district is driving down school enrollment rates.
After a hearing that included public comment, the board amended the plan to maximize the number of affordable units, rather than the percentage, in a development. “The district plans to have each site host a mix of homes with different income restriction levels, so that the sites are not divided by certificated and classified employees, Petterson added.”
Some of the public speakers called for more density and reduced parking at the proposed housing sites, while others cautioned against blanket changes in height and parking restrictions.
In a similar move, two Phoenix school districts recently partnered with the city to sell district-owned land for affordable housing development.
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