After several years in the making, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is now a few months away from housing its first tenants in workforce housing. The project moved quickly, thanks to a $340 million school bond voters approved in 2024.
“What made this possible was including teacher staff housing in Measure A as an allowable expense,” Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh says.
MPUSD purchased a $35.2 million apartment complex, developed by Brad Slama, located at 2300 Garden Road in Monterey, near the airport. The building previously served as an office space.
The building has 64 units, primarily studios and one-bedroom apartments. “It’s not going to meet every employee’s needs right in terms of their family set-up,” Diffenbaugh acknowledges, adding that he hopes in the future they can offer more options with two- and three-bedroom units geared more for families.
Below-market-rate rents will range from $1,265/month for studios to $1,628/month for two-bedroom units. (According to Zillow, the average rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in Monterey is currently $2,275/month.) Tenants will be able to reside for up to five years, with a one-time option for a two-year extension.
The district followed Salinas Union High School District’s model and purchased existing apartments instead of building its own. Two factors fueled this approach: time and money. “It allows us to move in much quicker and reduces cost,” Diffenbaugh says.
The MPUSD board approved guidelines for the application process on Sept. 23, including setting aside 13 units for employees who live outside the district and five units for new hires.
Most of the units, 70 percent, will be for certified staff, including teachers, counselors and librarians, while 30 percent are for classified staff, such as bus drivers, custodians and clerks.
“The vast majority will be for current employees to focus on retention,” Diffenbaugh adds.
Lack of housing, high rent prices and low starting salaries are some factors that make it difficult for young professionals to establish or start a family in the area. It also contributes to high turnover rates in school districts.
Andrea Gonzales, 30, is a first-grade teacher who’s been in the district for eight years. She commutes from Hollister to Crumpton Elementary in Marina. On a good day, Gonzales says her commute takes about 45 minutes, but other times it can take twice as long. “I worry about being late a lot, just in case there’s traffic or an accident,” Gonzales says.
Gonzales plans to apply for the lottery process and says that getting a unit would be a game-changer, saving time and money and improving her quality of life. “I would go from driving two-plus hours a day to only 30 minutes a day,” she says.
Eligible staff members can apply to be selected in a lottery process that will take place in November. Employees at different income levels, except those who work in management, are eligible to apply, with priority given to low-income individuals. The first tenants will be able to move in starting this December.