Affordable housing construction is seen along Sixth Street near the intersection with Cesar Chavez Street in Coachella, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
San Diego, California – In a move that could reshape the local education landscape, the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Board voted unanimously on Tuesday night to approve an ambitious initiative aimed at providing affordable housing for at least 10% of its staff over the next decade. The vote follows growing concerns about the skyrocketing cost of living in San Diego and the impact it has on the district’s ability to attract and retain teachers and staff.
The approved proposal includes plans to build more than 1,500 affordable housing units on five district-owned properties, marking the largest such initiative by any school district in California. The development will take place over the next few years, with construction expected to begin soon on properties such as the Eugene Brucker Education Center in Normal Heights, Revere Center in Linda Vista, and a site on Commercial Street downtown.
“A society that prices teachers out of the communities in which they teach has lost its way,” said Cody Petterson, a member of the San Diego School Board, in a statement. His sentiment echoed the need for a shift in priorities, ensuring educators and school staff can afford to live in the communities they serve.
The proposed housing will feature a mix of condominium-style units that can accommodate both singles and families. If successful, the initiative will nearly double the number of affordable housing units built for educators statewide since 2002, offering hope to many teachers who have faced significant challenges in securing affordable living in one of the most expensive cities in California.
Richard Berrera, also on the SDUSD Board, expressed pride in the district’s leadership on this matter. “What we’re doing tomorrow night is actually the largest scale effort of any school district anywhere in California to date of making our properties available for the development of affordable housing for our employees,” he said.
This initiative comes as teachers and school employees struggle with rising housing costs. Issel Martinez, president of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter, noted the personal toll that high housing costs are taking on staff. “It is difficult for us to even focus our attention on the needs of the students when our own basic needs are not even being met,” Martinez said.
The district’s plans were developed following feedback gathered at a December workshop with the community and staff. It is seen as a vital step toward ensuring that “neighborhood schools have neighborhood teachers,” according to Petterson. With housing costs in San Diego continuing to climb, this initiative could play a key role in supporting the district’s educators and, by extension, the students they serve.
