Former Convents Become Teacher Housing

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.