The district plans to build workforce housing for 10 percent of its employees in the next decade and explore other ways to contribute to housing development.
The San Diego Unified School District is stepping into the effort to build more affordable housing, reports Jemma Stephenson for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The district’s board approved a plan to develop workforce housing for its employees, explore the potential for affordable housing at five district-owned sites, and create a regional housing finance authority with the San Diego Community College District. According to the SDUSD board president Cody Petterson, the affordable housing shortage in the district is driving down school enrollment rates.
After a hearing that included public comment, the board amended the plan to maximize the number of affordable units, rather than the percentage, in a development. “The district plans to have each site host a mix of homes with different income restriction levels, so that the sites are not divided by certificated and classified employees, Petterson added.”
Some of the public speakers called for more density and reduced parking at the proposed housing sites, while others cautioned against blanket changes in height and parking restrictions.
In a similar move, two Phoenix school districts recently partnered with the city to sell district-owned land for affordable housing development.
FULL STORY: San Diego Unified OKs ambitious plans to build more affordable housing
San Diego School District Could Accelerate Workforce Housing Program
A proposal to build housing on five district-owned properties could yield 1,000 housing units for low- and moderate-income district employees.
San Diego Begins to See Results of State Housing Law
Homeowners in Southern California are starting to take advantage of a state law that allows lot splitting and higher density in residential areas in an effort to increase housing supply and affordability.
San Jose Proposes Turning Schools into Teacher Housing, Faces Outcry
A San Jose Unified School District plan to relocate several schools and build affordable housing in their place has sparked controversy. The district says teachers increasingly can't afford to live in the area.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
Proposed Bill Would Direct Funds to Road Safety
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act was spurred by the death of a U.S. diplomat who was killed on her bicycle.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland