If you build it, will they teach? A building in St. Petersburg, Fla. that previously served as a junior high school will be transformed into an affordable housing apartment complex. This is being done to attract more teachers to the Pinellas County School District to aid in recruitment and retention efforts, reports the Tampa Bay Times.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a situation seen as partly a byproduct of high housing costs, Florida state school districts are struggling to recruit and retain teachers. Adding to the issue are low pay, lack of support for teachers, inflexibility in instructional requirements, lack of multi-year contracts and large class sizes are concerns raised by teachers. Florida Education Association,
High housing costs have been an ongoing issue with some schools, and school districts are hoping that low-cost housing for faculty and staff can help address some of these issues. Opponents of the move have compared such actions to creating “company towns”, giving employers more power over the lives of their employees.
But Pinellas County SchoolsA team of developers has been selected to convert the former junior high school into a development of approximately 225 apartments in total.
“113 of the units [will be] Reserved as workforce housing for school district employees who make up 90 to 120% of the area’s median income, the Tampa Bay Times reports. “According to a news release from the school district, rent for those units will be between $1,263 and $2,160.”
Rent prices for the remaining 112 units in the complex will be in line with current market prices, with rents estimated to be between $2,156 and $2,771, the district said.
Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendricks says the move will align the district with its goals to support, retain and recruit more teachers.
In a press release announcing the development earlier this month, Hendricks said, “Tomlinson Community Partners’ innovative and collaborative approach aligns with Pinellas County Schools’ goal to support the housing needs of our dedicated faculty and staff.” Is.” “To attract and retain the best teachers and district staff, we must actively provide accessible and attractive housing options.”
The building, located at the center of the Pinellas County development deal, served as a vocational high school in the 1930s, and later as an adult education center. It closed in December 2021 due to low enrollment.
A small portion of apartments will be built within the building’s walls, with a 14-story tower and 10-story building also being planned for the site, which sits on 1.36 acres.
