San Mateo County Board of Education, County Superintendent of Schools, and HEART Partner to Purchase Educator Workforce Housing

Redwood City, CA — The San Mateo County Board of Education, the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, and the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County (HEART) have announced that they have collaborated to purchase a local housing development that will provide workforce housing for educators and school staff in San Mateo County. The purchase is designed to help address the region’s high housing costs and the challenges schools face in recruiting and retaining employees.

High housing costs remain one of the most significant barriers to attracting and retaining educators in the Bay Area. By expanding housing opportunities, the Board, County Superintendent, and HEART aim to strengthen workforce stability for schools throughout the County. Under the terms of the agreement, HEART has purchased an apartment building in San Mateo, and the County Office provided a loan from a dedicated fund that can only be used for facilities. HEART issued bonds to cover the remaining cost of the project.

The 74-unit development, built in 2021, will provide housing opportunities for teachers, paraeducators, counselors, and other school employees who serve students in programs run by the County Office. The building is currently occupied, and current tenants will remain in the building. As units become available over time, they will be offered to eligible County Office employees and school district staff at below-market rates. HEART forecasts that the entire building will be occupied by San Mateo County educators within 10 years.

“We are committed to finding creative solutions to address the affordable housing needs of the community, and are proud to partner with the County Office on this project,” said Armando Sanchez, HEART’s Executive Director. “We can keep the existing tenants in place while making units affordable for educators.”

Using HEART’s bonding capacity, a few units will become available for teachers and staff each year. As the bond indebtedness is paid down over time, it will result in more units becoming available to educators with deeper affordability. The HEART team has been responsible for managing the entire acquisition process, including securing all financing, and will manage and operate the property and report the housing benefits to the County Office. Once the bonds are repaid, the building will be owned by the County Office and will generate revenue for the organization.

“I want to commend the Board of Education and former Superintendent Nancy Magee for their visionary leadership in workforce housing,” said San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Marco Chávez. “Many educators cannot afford to live in the communities where they work, so this investment helps ensure that the people who support our students can live closer to the schools and communities they serve.”

“This investment is ultimately about students,” said Hugo Torres, President of the San Mateo County Board of Education. “Research shows that when schools are able to recruit and retain educators, students benefit from greater stability, stronger relationships with teachers, and improved learning outcomes. When educators can afford to live in the communities they serve, schools are stronger and students thrive.”

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About HEART

HEART of San Mateo County is a collaborative, public/private venture that includes all 20 cities in San Mateo County, the County, and many businesses and individuals that support the organization. Its Board of Directors consists of 11 elected officials and 10 members of the private sector. To date, HEART has invested over $35.3 million to assist in the development of 1,743 new affordable homes throughout San Mateo County. More information is available at www.heartofsmc.org.

About the San Mateo County Office of Education

The San Mateo County Office of Education is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of background, receives excellence and equity in education. The County Office of Education supports 84,000 students across 23 local school districts by providing services that can be done more efficiently and economically at the county level. These include instructional and technical support, instruction for students with significant disabilities and those in the juvenile court system, and development of the education workforce. A leader in environmental literacy, the County Office of Education delivers innovative, high-impact lessons that empower students to address real-world sustainability challenges. Through the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities, which reflects a broad collaboration of community partners, the County Office of Education provides safe and supportive school services that benefit students, families, and the broader community.