California Department of Education offers up 75,000 acres of land to tackle housing, teacher crises

By Rachel Wulff

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    SACRAMENTO (KOVR) — The California Department of Education is attempting to do its part to address a housing shortage that has led to a teacher shortage.

Governor Gavin Newsom wants California to create 2.5 million new homes by 2030 amid a housing crisis that is affecting our economy.

The Department of Education recently announced that it is offering up 75,000 acres that it owns to help create 2.3 million housing units in areas where teachers struggle to afford housing

“We’re excited about what it means to be able to retain staff that work in our schools, what it means to support students in closing the learning gap,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said.

The Department of Education would team up with developers to bring the units to market. The state offers the land up to affordable housing first, then subsidized housing, and then puts the properties out for bid.

“What typically happens is builders will put it under an option, and it’s widely accepted that’s the way it’s done because it does reduce the risk somewhat,” said Tom Grable of Tri Pointe Homes. “But we are still putting up sizable deposits, big money deposits, and then we’re spending huge sums of dollars to get it through the process.”

Grable has developed school properties in Southern California. He said that it just makes dollars and sense in a tight economy with high interest rates.

Superintendent Thurmond said that it already spells success.

“I think most school districts that have built educator housing have started by building rental units that can be used where a teacher might live there for a while and save some money so they can then go and buy a home,” Thurmond said.

It will be a good first step toward Gov. Newsom’s goal but the challenge will be crossing the finish line in seven years. At its peak, the state only ever built 300,000 homes a year.

“That has never been done in our state’s history,” Thurmond said. “What makes us believe we can do it now when there is even more impediments, more restrictions?”

All agree that steps need to be taken to make it easier to build homes.

“We still need to have discussions around policies here in California that need to be reformed or addressed so we can increase development and supply of housing in California,” Barrera said.

Last month, the governor signed an executive order awarding $94 million to 15 California counties to help build more than 1,600 new homes through infill projects in downtown cores and near transportation hubs and job centers.

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