The community will feature one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes. (Rendering courtesy Upward Communities)
Editors note: This story has been updated to correct the description of Upward Communities, and clarify the district's financial contribution to the planning and construction of the project.
Hays CISD employees will soon have access to an affordable housing rental community exclusive to district staff. HCISD, in partnership with Upward Communities, will break ground on the community this summer.
“It’s more important than ever for school districts to come up with creative ways to attract and retain the most talented teachers and staff in Texas,” Superintendent Eric Wright said in a news release. “Just as schools, roads and utilities are essential infrastructure for our growing community, attainable housing for educators and staff who serve the community are needed to accompany that growth.”
The big picture
The 362-home community, currently unnamed, will be located near Uhland Elementary School. With more than 600 employees on the waitlist, HCISD is working to develop a system to determine who will be selected to live in the community. Dwellings will range from one-bedroom cottages to four-bedroom homes.
The neighborhood will include a pool, playgrounds, parks and event spaces. (Rendering courtesy Upward Communities)
Neighborhood amenities will include:
A pool and sundeck
A sports lounge
A private event space
A children’s playground
Outdoor sports fields
A dog park
Nature paths
Pickleball courts
Pocket parks
Commercial spaces
Rent prices will be set at below-market rates to support public school educators and staff amid rising costs, according to Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson.
“For many of us who haven't gotten a pay raise in a few years, our money just doesn't go as far as it did a few years ago,” Courson said. “Our board is passionate about that and has been strategic in making sure that we are the leaders in compensation in the region. But it's still not quite enough.”
About the developer
Upward Communities is a "mission-driven community developer [that] partners with school districts, cities, counties and mission-aligned nonprofit organizations to deliver long-term essential housing for the people who keep our communities running,” according to the website.
“It’s exciting for us to tackle such a large problem,” Upward Communities CEO Jason Roberts said.
The details
District officials have been calling the housing initiative the Hays Homes program. The planning and construction to support the Hays Homes program will come at zero cost to the district, according to Courson. HCISD already owns the land on which the community will be built, north of Uhland Elementary, which Courson said wasn’t suitable for a campus. The community’s location on the eastern side of the district boundaries will help Courson recruit staff for that area.
“If you look at the maps, you see all of the growth going towards the east side,” Courson said. “Interestingly, that’s the side that’s hardest for me to recruit for ... how wonderful would it be to have this community that’s uniquely built for our school district employees, and it’s right there.”
The need
Part of the push for the Hays Homes program stems from the growing number of teachers leaving the field to enter the corporate sector, according to Courson.
“We’ve seen high numbers of teachers exiting the field of education,” Courson said. “We’re bleeding out veteran teachers.”
Statewide, teacher retention dropped from about 90% with first-year teachers to approximately 56% among fifth-year teachers who started in 2020-21, according to the Texas Education Agency. Attrition rates have risen from 10.34% to 12.08% over the past 10 years, reaching as high as 13.45% in 2022-23.
“We’re actually giving the district a tool to now, not compete against other school districts, but to compete against other professions,” Roberts said.
The history
In 2023, HCISD partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission to provide incentivized apartment rentals for public employees, Courson said. The district was able to secure about 50 units in apartment buildings in Kyle at a lower rate for HCISD staff.
Due to the popularity of the program, HCISD officials met with Upward Communities to discuss another housing opportunity for employees.
“By taking care of our staff, they're taking care of our students,” Courson said. “If we don't do something like this, I don't know how we will have a staff to support the growth that's coming, then to maintain the quality of education that we provide right now.”
HCISD approved the master lease agreement with Upward Communities in January 2025, after receiving a preliminary presentation in December.
“Hays [CISD] was our first group to take the leadership plunge ... and commit to this,” Roberts said.
Since then, Lockhart ISD “immediately” jumped on the opportunity to build a similar community.
“The reason why any of this is possible at all is that we have a school board that is deeply committed to being what they call an unrivaled employee-friendly district,” Courson said. “And I think it’s because of this true belief and number one priority of taking care of people that it felt very natural for our board to take the risk.”
Looking ahead
Upward Communities and HCISD will hold a groundbreaking ceremony later this summer. Homes will be move-in ready in 2027 or 2028, according to Roberts.
If the first phase is successful and there is a demand for it, Upward Communities will consider additional phases of the community.
