MPUSD revisits a potential bond measure to build staff and teacher housing.

For the second time in three years, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is considering building staff housing, an effort aimed at reducing turnover. Administrators say the high cost of living and lack of housing hinders the district’s efforts to hire and retain teachers. “We can no longer wait for others to deal with this [housing] crisis,” MPUSD Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh says. The cost of living is one reason people resign, and every year the district hires about 100 new teachers.

Over the past five years, Soledad Unified, Salinas Union High, and Monterey Peninsula Unified school districts have looked to bonds to build or purchase housing units to provide below-market-rate housing for employees. The first two passed bond measures in 2020; MPUSD’s didn’t make it to the ballot because its board voted against taking it to voters.

In a recent survey completed by over 300 workers (25 percent), MPUSD staff showed strong support for the concept, with 70 percent saying they were very interested in workforce housing. On Jan. 24, the survey results were presented to the board. The concept is to build between 30 and 60 units, ranging from one – to three-bedrooms.

Nicola Williams, president of the Monterey Bay Teachers Association, says there are mixed feelings among teachers. Some appreciate the district’s efforts, while others feel frustrated since every year it is harder to afford to live in California and Monterey County. “The general feeling is that ideally, we would earn enough in salary that we could afford to purchase our own house,” Williams says.

MPUSD’s potential bond proposal is in an early stage. If by the end of this year the board approves placing a measure on the ballot, it would appear in the 2024 primary election and would need 55-percent voter approval to pass.

The dollar amount remains to be decided.