Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools unveiled plans Thursday to help link teachers to affordable housing, including plans to build an “educator community” with lower-cost rental housing for teachers.
Administrators say the effort will help recruit and retain teachers amid statewide shortages.
The $30 million community would have about 100 units and would act as a sort of pilot program that could be replicated if successful.
It would be built on surplus land supplied by the district. Administrators said Thursday they hope to be ready to lease in 2027.
It’s part of a larger housing strategy the district hopes will help attract and keep teachers. A CMS survey indicated 93% of teachers identified housing costs as their top concern. And 61% said housing could be a potential factor in leaving their jobs.
“Some of my colleagues have even faced eviction, including myself," said Genita Nashville, a teacher at Northridge Middle School. "I've seen friends and colleagues move out of the district to find affordable places to live. And this turnover isn't just a staff problem. It's a loss for the whole community. Students and families develop bonds with their teachers. Being forced to say goodbye year after year takes a toll.”
Some teachers have criticized the district for emphasizing housing instead of addressing what they say is the core problem: low teacher pay. But Superintendent Crystal Hill said the district understands housing is just part of the picture, with teacher pay largely controlled by the state.
“We continue to advocate all the time for increased pay at the state level, which, of course, that's the base teacher salary in North Carolina and then always with the teacher supplement," Hill said.
As part of the broader “At Home in CMS” initiative, the district also announced new partnerships with three developers, Ascent, Laurel Street and DreamKey, to track available rental inventory that would be prioritized for teachers across 42 properties.
CMS also announced several initiatives to help teachers move toward home ownership, such as financial literacy programs and partnerships to develop affordable townhomes for teachers.
Four such homes were unveiled earlier this year as part of the new Duke's Ridge community.
Back in June, the Charlotte City Council's housing committee unanimously recommended setting aside $1 million for the educator community.
