What you need to know
PfISD officials are looking at potential sites for a teacher housing project located within its bounds as well as conducting surveys among staff members to learn what kind of amenities and policies they might like to see in such housing options. The district is also having preliminary design discussions with its contractor, Pinnacle/Woodbury Development, hired in June.
The details
Discussions between PfISD officials and the contractor center around the number of units and the makeup of the housing development, whether it has potential for mixed-use space, how best to meet parking needs, and city requirements for such a project, PfISD Chief Operating Officer Victor Valdez said during a board workshop Sept. 7. Similar conversations are also being had with teachers via a staff survey and focus groups.
What they're saying
The importance of having a district-owned housing resource has become a focus as PfISD's human resources team works to fill teacher vacancies, Valdez said. Teachers recruited from out of the city or out of state are accepting offers with the intention of moving, are turning jobs down because of the high cost of housing, he said.
“It's very disconcerting for us when we cannot recruit teachers because of the high cost of living in this area,” Valdez said.
What's next
Details regarding sites under consideration are forthcoming. Trustees noted because the district straddles the cities of Austin and Pflugerville, staff members should weigh utility rates in each city when considering a location.
The backstory
Voters approved the issuance of $43.92 million in bonds to finance the purchase of property for and the construction of a workforce housing development for the district's teachers in November. Through this initiative, the district seeks to remediate the issue of high housing costs in the area for its employees, who Valdez said are having to move farther away from the district.
