“Final piece of the puzzle” for North County teacher housing
SAN JOSE – County Supervisor Joe Simitian says “the final piece of the puzzle is now in place” for Santa Clara County’s new teacher housing development in Palo Alto, and that the project can now move on to its next phase: construction. The 110-unit development, located at 231 Grant Avenue in Palo Alto, was proposed by Simitian in 2018 to help local teachers and other school staff live in the communities they serve, and to help local school districts attract and retain top-quality staff.
“No one wins when teachers have to commute from miles and miles away,” said Simitian. “It’s harder to attract and retain the best teachers available when the cost of housing is so, so high. And time in the car is time not spent with students or preparing lesson plans. When they’re obliged to live in remote parts of the region, our teachers become more and more remote from the communities where they teach. By having our teachers live and work nearby we’re strengthening their role in the community, and helping them get a little quality time with their families.”
On May 1, 2023, the Los Altos School District (LASD) Board of Trustees approved additional funding for the final 12 units available at 231 Grant Avenue Educator Workforce Housing. This additional funding for units follows LASD Board’s initial vote in January 2023 to secure an initial 12 housing units for the school district’s teachers and staff. The District’s staff will now have access to 24 of the project’s 110 units.
"The LASD Board has supported the 231 Grant Project since its infancy,” said Jessica Speiser, President of Los Altos School District Board of Trustees. “Our teachers and staff have helped make LASD a destination district, yet they struggle to live anywhere near it. With the allotment of another 12 units, we will be able to ease that burden for 24 employees. While it won’t solve the issue entirely, it will make a dent. Thank you so much to the County and all those involved in making this project happen.”
Other local school districts and the City of Palo Alto have also committed funding to support the housing development. In addition to the 24 units secured by the Los Altos School District, units will be offered to teachers and staff from the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, the Mountain View Whisman School District, the Palo Alto Unified School District, and districts in south San Mateo County, including Ravenswood City School District.
"It’s essential for Santa Clara County to invest in below-market rate rental units to ensure that we can attract and retain the most qualified and motivated classroom faculty and support staff for our K-12 schools and community colleges,” said Simon Pennington, Associate Vice President of College and Community Relations, Marketing, and Communications at Foothill College. “As a Santa Clara County tax payer and Community College employee, I see this investment paying dividends for decades to come, not only because our children will have access to the very best instructors, but because the teachers and their families will be living in, and supporting local businesses in, the communities they serve. This is a win for our children and a win for our communities."
Thirty-two units will be offered to teachers and school staff in southern San Mateo County, with an emphasis on the Ravenswood City School District near the Menlo Park campus of Meta (previously known as Facebook). The company has been supporting Ravenswood teachers with subsidized rent since 2017. In 2019, Meta announced a commitment of $25 million in grant funding to support 231 Grant Avenue Educator Workforce Housing as a way to help create a new, permanent supply of affordable housing for educators. One unit will be set aside for an onsite manager.
Santa Clara County selected non-profit development partners Mercy Housing and Abode Communities in 2019 to develop and manage the site. Since then, the development team has met with school districts, the City of Palo Alto, neighborhood groups, community members and various other stakeholders to increase awareness of the project and solicit community input. In addition, the team surveyed more than 1,300 teachers and school employees and used that information to help determine the unit mix and income levels that the project will serve.
The housing development will be a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units. The complex will also include indoor and outdoor communal spaces, landscaped courtyards, vehicle parking, secured bike parking, and other residential amenities.
Next steps will involve the demolition of the existing and aged 6,800-square-foot office building at the project site, and construction of a new four-story building. It is anticipated construction will break ground this summer.
“Great communities need great schools. Great schools need great staff. And that means affordable housing,” said Simitian. “This has been a long time coming, and I’m gratified to see us reach this stage.”
“I’m also pleased that this work has led other parts of our county to ask us how we can bring this much-needed housing to their area,” Simitian added. “On the heels of our North County project, our County is now working on a project serving teachers and school staff in the West Valley.”
For more information and updates about 231 Grant Educator Workforce Housing, please visit https://faf.santaclaracounty.gov/all-county-building-projects/capital-projects-planning-and-development/231-grant-educator-workforce-housing.