AUSTIN, Texas — Austin ISD is beginning the process of constructing housing for teachers.
According to a report from KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, district administrators say they are expecting developer NRP Group to begin construction of a 500-unit housing complex for local educators within two years, at the earliest.
Officials say they hope the complex, slated to be located at the site of the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility, will help teachers and ISD staff find affordable housing within the city and continue working within the district.
This housing complex would be the first of its kind for the district and is one of the first of several possible unique ways the district is aiming to keep educators employed in the city, according to the Statesman's report.
On Nov. 16, the district’s Board of Trustees signed a contract with NRP Group to develop housing at the nearly 20-acre site in Govalle.
The move to develop this new housing comes as the district has struggled to retain teachers and staff, given the increasing cost of housing in Austin, as well as statewide problems attracting new teachers and staff workers.
NRP Group said at least half of the housing units will be affordable and are solely meant for teachers and other district staff, who will get priority over any other applicants. Rent prices for the units have not yet been determined.
The new remodeling of the Anita Ferrales Coy Facility site will also include constructing a new building for the district’s Alternative Learning Center.
Preliminary work on the project is expected to begin soon, with construction on the new housing set to begin no earlier than summer 2025.
To learn more, read the Statesman's full report.