In the ongoing effort to address the housing challenges faced by school staff, Austin-area school districts are increasingly turning toward the development of affordable housing. As rental rates continue to soar, this collaborative push aims to provide employees with more accessible living options close to their work. Jeremy Striffler, AISD's Director of Real Estate, highlighted the district's plans, saying, "We know we have 116 campuses and we want to make sure that there is housing nearby all those campuses so our employees can live in the communities they serve," as reported by KXAN.
According to Community Impact, Monica Medina, President and CEO of Austin Housing Conservancy, reported that the average rental rate in the Austin and Round Rock area has increased by 24% since 2020. This scenario has made it increasingly difficult for teachers to afford housing on their salaries. For instance, Austin ISD has plans to eventually build a 600-unit housing complex at its Anita Ferrales Coy Facility. The construction is expected to potentially begin in the summer of 2025, pending city approval.
The strategy involves forming Public Facility Corporations (PFCs) that partner with developers to offer rent- and income-restricted apartments. Lake Travis ISD and Eanes ISD officials have voiced their concerns that staff pay raises have not kept pace with the rise in housing costs, prompting many teachers to live far from the campuses where they teach. This approach offers financial relief and an incentive to retain school employees.
"In the current financial condition of public education and school districts being more constrained by less funding, any opportunity that we might have to generate additional revenue, even if it's a modest amount, is interesting to us,” Jeff Arnett, EISD Superintendent, told Community Impact. These sentiments are echoed across the board as districts struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels amid an increasingly competitive hiring environment. The PFC model not only aims to assist staff members with housing but also potentially opens up new revenue streams for the districts.
The need for affordable housing as a means to retain and recruit staff is further underscored by the statistics gathered from the local school districts. For example, over 60% of Eanes ISD staff expressed interest in workforce housing and Austin ISD reported that 66% of its staff identified as cost-burdened. Round Rock ISD has also joined the efforts, partnering with the Texas Workforce Housing Foundation, to provide discounted rental rates to staff members, as Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez indicated in a statement given to Community Impact. These initiatives are all aimed at ensuring that staff can afford to live closer to where they work, thereby enhancing the educational experience for students.
