Santa Barbara Unified, Housing Authority Discuss Plans to Build Housing for Teachers and Staff

Amid rising housing costs and teacher protests for higher pay this spring, the Santa Barbara Unified School District and the city’s Housing Authority have partnered to consider plans to develop housing for district teachers and staff on land already owned by the district. 

At Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, Housing Authority leaders presented the district with their findings on the housing needs of district staff and a list of the best potential sites for staff apartments. 

They also reviewed income distribution related to housing costs, but as presenter Dale Azam pointed out, “Everybody knows how expensive it is to live in Santa Barbara.” 

Living in Santa Barbara on a teacher’s salary is not an easy task, forcing many of the region’s teachers to find housing in other counties. In March, the district’s housing committee — boardmembers, district staff, legal counsel, and Housing Authority leaders — began meeting to explore how to create much-needed housing for retaining and recruiting qualified staff.

About two-thirds of the district’s non-management staff are in the very-low- to moderate-income range, reported Azam, the Housing Authority’s director of real estate and technology. More than 50 percent of non-management staff sit in the very low to low-income categories.  

That means, as Azam explained, those staff members are “housing-burdened,” as most of their income goes toward keeping a roof over their heads. The largest needs, unexpectedly, lie in relatively smaller households, meaning they will need less of the two- to three-bedroom units they had originally planned for and can build more studio and one-bedroom apartments. 

Out of a short list of potential housing sites, the Parma School site (915 E. Montecito St.) was selected as the best prospect. The currently vacant site spans 0.66 acres, is located close to shopping, transportation, and schools, and could feasibly hold 40-45 units. 

Other potential sites, including the National Guard Armory (700 E. Canon Perdido St.), were ruled out because of issues such as environmental concerns and historical significance. 

“The project is just one piece of the puzzle of the larger need in our community for affordable housing for our community,” said Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado. “We have a ways to go in this process but look forward to seeing it through to help our teachers and staff.”

The project would be financed through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and no district funds would be needed, with the Housing Authority acting as developer and property manager on the project. 

“Our community has long struggled to find affordable housing in the city,” said Rob Fredericks, executive director of the city’s Housing Authority. “In partnering with Santa Barbara Unified School District, we’re harnessing collective strengths to address this need. The Parma School site is a promising step.”

The Board of Trustees directed district staff to work with the Housing Authority to develop a project on a school site and continue to find other locations for future projects both inside and outside city limits.