Math teacher Joyce Adriansen has worked at Santa Barbara High School for 27 years.
"I always thought once I became a teacher, okay, I'll be making some decent money, I'll be able to buy a home and [it] just never happened. Prices kept going up and up and out of my, you know, out of my price range," Adriansen explained.
She now lives in Buellton and spends 10 hours a week commuting.
"It cuts into your home life, your family life, and your health," Adriansen said.
To address affordable housing for teachers and staff, Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado says the district is working toward building 136 units at two separate district-owned locations.
"Our teachers deserve beautiful places to live. They deserve to be able to practice a career that gives back to the community, and I think it's time for the community to give back to teachers and staff who work in education," Maldonado said.
One development will be at 915 E. Montecito Street across from Trader Joe's, called the Parma. The other, on a vacant lot just behind Vons in East Goleta, is called Tatum.
Dr. Maldonado says the Parma project is a collaboration between the district and the city housing authority, funded by tax credits.
"That means there will be zero debt and zero money used from the school district to build the building and the affordability index will just help us maintain that building as well," she explained.
The Tatum property in Goleta was recently sold by the district to developer Red Tail for $17 million.
"We're actually getting $17 million plus a building with 95 units dedicated to Santa Barbara Unified employees," Maldonado said.
Both properties will have a mix of one- to three-bedroom units exclusively for school district staff.
"I think [it] will help retain teachers, because a lot of people leave because they realize it's too expensive to live here. I wish it had happened years ago, so you know, I could have had something and still been in Santa Barbara," Adriansen said.
According to the Housing Authority, 63% of district employee households are in very low-, low-, or moderate-income households, meaning they make less than $101,000.
Santa Barbara Unified says the projects could start as early as next year.
