Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
A S E D U C A T O R S across the state grapple with the ability to afford to live where they work, a public-private partnership in Palo Alto broke ground in August on a housing development that will bring 110 new units set aside for teachers and edu- cation support professionals in the expensive San Francisco Bay Area. The housing project, called 231 Grant, was made possible through an innovative partnership that saw Santa Clara County contribute $37 million, social media giant Meta give a $25 million grant, and the San Francisco Housing Accelera- tor Fund provide a $24.7 million permanent loan. Four school districts — Palo Alto Unified, Los Altos, Mountain View Whisman and Foothill-De Anza Community College District — contributed a total of $3.25 million to the development. Educators and ESPs in these districts will be eligible to apply for an apartment when the project is completed in mid- to late-2025. " These 110 units will ultimately serve thousands of edu- cators and these educators will serve tens of thousands of students," said Joe Simitian, the Santa Clara County Super- visor who championed the development. "We know that when classified staff and teachers are residents of the places where they work, we are all beneficiaries." Simitian first proposed educator housing in 2018 in response to an environment where teachers were commut- ing three to four hours round-trip because wages were not keeping pace with rising housing costs. The son of a teacher who bought his childhood home in Palo Alto on a single edu- cator 's salary, Simitian knew something needed to happen to provide present-day educators some relief. The result is 110 affordable studio, one- and two-bedroom rental homes with amenities including gardens, a children's play area and bicycle parking. Palo Alto Education Association President Teri Bald- win and Los Altos Teachers Association President Chris Hazelton were both seated in the front row at the ground- breaking ceremony, beaming with excitement about the project moving forward. "By making this investment in housing for educators, our community is showing how valuable these essential workers are," Hazelton said. "It is often said that teaching is an art. If you ask a teacher, they might say it's the art of balancing time and energy. By making their lives easier, a teacher is able to focus more time and energy on their students, not on worrying about housing, working a second job or their commute." Investing in Educator Housing Development will allow teachers, ESPs to live where they work By Julian Peeples Breaking ground at 231 Grant. Palo Alto Education Association President Teri Baldwin and Los Altos Teachers Association President Chris Hazelton. 43 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 A