Palo Alto housing development designed specifically for educators moves forward
Palo Alto is an expensive place to live, even by Bay Area standards. But a new apartment building in the Peninsula city is starting to
take shape that will provide more affordable homes specifically for teachers and school staff.
Terri Baldwin looked around the ground floor apartment that is the result of years of work. As President of the Palo Alto Educators Association, she has long advocated for designated teacher housing. Now she can see it.
"So excited to see it take place. It's been since 2018," said Baldwin. "Nice countertops and cabinets. Some things I'm a little envious of."
The apartment is one of 110 units for teachers, school staff, and their families who meet income requirements. The apartments start with studios.
"And then you go into the one and two bedrooms," Baldwin said. "You might have a small family."
A small family that would likely have no chance at finding a home in a city where, by cost per square foot, housing might be as expensive as anywhere in the country.
"We have teachers who commute an hour, or sometimes two hours each way," Baldwin said of teachers in the area. "So this is going to give them an opportunity to live closer, be more part of the community."
The county donated the land. Facebook donated $25 million. And school districts across the area signed on to participate.
"We've got half a dozen school districts here in Northern Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County who will benefit," said Supervisors Joe Simitian, who helped shepherd the project "They'll be accessible to students in ways that are just not possible when commuting literally hundreds of miles from halfway across California."
The units are spread across the six districts. Palo Alto, for example, gets 29 units, for a district with more than 800 teachers. But Baldwin calls it a good start, and proof that the right plan can deliver progress.
"This is a model," Baldwin said. "This is a model and we need more of this. I'm really happy this is happening, but we definitely need to look at more private public partnerships to help our middle income educators, nurses, and police officers."
The project is still very much under construction, but the timeline is going to move quickly. The marketing and lease process will start this winter. Officials hope that people will be moving into the building by May.