On Sept. 3, 2024, Marin County approved funding for a major affordable housing project that is expected to substantially impact the lives of Marin public school staff. The project, known as Oak Hill Apartments, is the largest affordable housing development in the underutilized spaces of the county in nearly 50 years. Located on an 8.5-acre elevated site on state-owned land along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the project will provide 250 residential units, including dedicated housing for teachers and staff of the local school districts. The developmental process for the California School Board Association’s (CSBA) advance training is a five to eight-year project. The CSBA helps school districts create policy manuals that comply with state and federal laws while meeting local needs.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors has allocated nearly $5 million from the Marin County Affordable Housing Trust Fund to support the project. Additionally, the county has authorized the Community Development Agency to apply for a $2.6 million grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which manages a $53 million fund to match local housing trust funds. The state funds are targeted at projects offering rental housing for households earning 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) or less. 

The Oak Hill Apartments will feature two distinct residential communities:

• Eden Housing Portion: This portion provides 115 units of affordable rental housing, with 95 units for low income households and 18 units for extremely low-income households. 

• Education Housing Partners Portion: This portion offers 135 workforce rental housing units specifically for income-qualifying teachers, staff and county employees, with 86 units designated for low income households. 

Community leaders and advocates stress that affordable housing is essential for not only teachers but also for the overall stability and diversity of Marin’s education system. Brandon Johnson, Director of Educator Diversity at Marin Promise Partnership, as well as a former Redwood Campus Assistant, worries that without this accessibility, schools risk high turnover and burnout among educators.

 “We’re at a critical juncture,” Johnson said. “If we don’t address the housing crisis, we risk losing our dedicated educators and undermining the quality of education in Marin.” 

According to a recent report by Marin Educators for Equity Initiative (MEEI), the high cost of housing poses a major obstacle for teachers, especially those from Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Younger, lower-salaried educators face a similar disadvantage. The report underscores that these groups are disproportionately affected by rising housing costs, which threaten to drive them out of the district. 

“Recruitment and retention are becoming increasingly difficult,” Johnson said. “When educators can’t afford to live in the same community where they teach, it creates a disconnect, not just for teachers, but also for the students and families who benefit from long term relationships with these educators.” 

In addition, English teacher Diane Waite highlights that a teacher’s proximity to their job allows them to more easily become involved in their communities. 

“One benefit [to this project] is that teachers would be more likely to live in the community where they work. This is great because it means teachers can attend school events more easily,” Waite said. 

Marin County is also considering a 2024 ballot measure that could significantly bolster affordable housing efforts. If approved, the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority bond measure could generate between $350 million and $700 million for Marin County, with a portion allocated to affordable housing.

Ken Lippi, the Senior Deputy Superintendent at Marin County Office of Education, shares his hope towards local initiatives such as the Oak Hill apartments.

“Residents would be able to stay for seven to ten years. Hopefully, during that stay, we can help them save money and maybe even help them save enough to make a down payment on a house,” Lippi said.

As Marin County navigates these challenges, the push for affordable housing for teachers and working families is gaining momentum. 

“We really hope to make this work, and maybe it will make it easier for other projects like this one to follow,” Lippi said.