A zoning change in Salinas could move affordable teacher housing forward.

The lack of affordable housing is no elephant in the room. It’s recognized as a main motivation for new teachers and staff at Monterey County schools to seek opportunities elsewhere. Dan Burns, superintendent at Salinas Union High School District, says the district loses between $500,000 to $1 million dollars every year on related expenses because teachers and staff don’t remain in their positions for long.

SUHSD hires between 70 and 90 teachers each school year. Sixty percent are newcomers. Of these, more than half look for jobs elsewhere within five years. SUHSD’s teacher turnover rate is lower than other districts in Monterey County, although it doubles when it comes to classified staff – bus drivers, custodians and clerical workers.

Since housing could be the main factor in employee retention, SUHSD began looking for potential opportunities to create affordable housing.

“We’re stepping into the housing business to try to solve that problem,” Burns says, adding that they believe offering below-market-rate rent would help them to recruit and retain employees. But there’s a hitch.

The state’s Teacher Housing Act of 2016, or Assembly Bill 1719, allows school districts to acquire housing and implement programs for low and moderate-income workers. But current zoning regulations in Salinas ban employer-owned housing. So SUHSD reached out to the city’s Community Development Department. Megan Hunter, director of the department, agreed to introduce an updated code aligned with state law. The amendment is specific to the educational sector and will be expanded to include colleges ahead of a similar proposal to update AB1719 is passed at the state level. Hunter says the current restrictions were in place to prevent companies with temporary employees – H2A visa agricultural workers, for example – from displacing permanent residents.

The amended measure addresses potential conflicts, such as if a district purchases an occupied building. In such a case, there would be a notification requirement and a relocation assistance program. The amendment will reach the City Council on April 26.

“It’s great to see this finally come to fruition and to the city council,” says Anthony Rocha, city council member and former SUHSD trustee.

“If students aren’t getting a premier education because they don’t have qualified teachers working with them then ultimately the economics of the city suffer, as well,” Burns says.