Hays CISD broke ground on an exclusive neighborhood Sept. 1.
The framework
Upward Communities is working with multiple Central Texas school districts to create affordable housing communities for employees. Hays CISD is building a 362-home subdivision called Live Oak Commons near Uhland Elementary School to retain and recruit staff. With more than 600 employees on the waitlist, HCISD is developing a selection system. Options will range from one- to four-bedroom homes.
Upward Communities is a community developer that partners with school districts, cities and counties to deliver long-term housing for workers in the public sector, according to the website.
“It’s exciting for us to tackle such a large problem,” Upward Communities CEO Jason Roberts said. “If you really focus on creating a solution, versus the typical real estate objectives … I think you’ll see amazing new things pop up.”
The neighborhood will feature a range of amenities, including private yards, playgrounds and pocket parks.
“Knowing that they were going to do that, and each place was going to have a little yard, and I could afford a home where [my kids] could still each have their own rooms ... I was so excited about the idea,” HCISD teacher Destiny Horton said.
Lockhart ISD has broken ground on an Upward Communities subdivision, and San Marcos CISD is in preliminary discussions with the company.
The cost
Rent prices will be offered below market value.
“A decent house around here is usually $1,500 to $1,800 a month and that’s just not something that I can afford on my own with my two kids,” Horton said.
The project will come at no cost to taxpayers or the district, as HCISD owns the land. Upward Communities received funding from Public Private Development Corp., a nonprofit organization, to construct and develop the project.
Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson said the land wasn’t suitable for a campus.
Beyond the amenities and lower price, Superintendent Eric Wright thinks the subdivision will allow renters to bond with their neighbors.
“They will have so much in common with each other because they’ll be HCISD employees,” Wright said. “I hope that they'll find that they really have that true neighborhood feel and ... it just really enhances their quality of life.”
Some context
As HCISD continues a trend of high growth, the district aims to use Live Oak Commons to help recruit new teachers and support staff.
From 2021 to 2025, the number of teachers grew from 1,391 to 1,579, according to Texas Education Agency data. Enrollment increased from 21,345 to more than 25,000 in the same time period. Wright said the district’s east side is one of the fastest-growing areas.
“The next high school will be over on the east side, as well as the next middle school, [once the community passes a future bond],” he said. “Especially for individuals wanting to work on that side of town, [the subdivision] will help them reduce their commute.”
The community’s location on the eastern side of the district boundaries will also help Courson recruit staff for that area.
“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,” Courson said.
The breakdown
Part of the push for the affordable housing program stems from the growing number of teachers leaving the field to enter the corporate sector, Courson said.
“We’ve seen high numbers of teachers exiting the field of education,” she said. “We’re bleeding out veteran teachers.”
SMCISD went from 1,347 to 1,247 teachers, an 8% decrease, between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, according to TEA data.
Statewide, teacher retention dropped from about 90% for first-year teachers to approximately 56% among fifth-year teachers who started in 2020-21. 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.
What's next
SMCISD is considering a partnership with Upward Communities to develop a housing community. Roberts met with the board of trustees in June to begin conversations.
“We have an opportunity here to move forward with something that not only makes us competitive in recruitment, but also increases the quality of life for our staff outside of what we can do with our limited dollars,” trustee Juan Miguel Arredondo said.
The SMCISD board of trustees will discuss the potential partnership during a Sept. 21 meeting.
“The process is talking to [the board], telling everybody about it, letting everybody ask questions and making sure you review our financials, our legal structure and are comfortable with the risk and the rewards,” Roberts said.
