With starting teachers’ salaries in the shockingly low range,
it’s no wonder that the Gilroy Unified School District has a hard
time convincing instructors to start their careers in South Valley,
where the median home price is in the neighborhood of half a
million dollars.
With starting teachers’ salaries in the shockingly low range, it’s no wonder that the Gilroy Unified School District has a hard time convincing instructors to start their careers in South Valley, where the median home price is in the neighborhood of half a million dollars.
Why teach in South Valley – or anywhere in the Bay Area, for that matter – when you won’t be able to afford a home unless you have a trust fund or a generous parental credit union? New teachers who want to work here are faced with horrific commutes or housing situations most professionals leave behind after college.
That’s why we’re glad to see the innovative La Maestra housing development which is the result of some joint creative thinking between GUSD and South County Housing.
If everything comes together, teachers may be able to deduct more than $100,000 from the price of a three- or four-bedroom home near Antonio Del Buono School. The 25-unit development will set aside 15 single-family homes specifically for GUSD teachers. Those 15 teachers – who otherwise might not choose to work in Gilroy – could make a significant difference in the lives of thousands in Gilroy.
One of the keys to making the plan work is a $30,000 donation from the City of Gilroy’s housing trust fund. It’s not clear if it is legal for the city to use the funds for housing aimed at one class of people – such as teachers.
“We’re pretty sure teachers have regulatory exemption,” City Administrator Jay Baksa told reporter Eric Leins. “But we can’t say only carpenters or only green people can get housing money, at least that’s the way I understand it.”
We urge city officials to find a way to make the donation and the La Maestra housing development work. It’s good for the entire community – not just students and the school district – for qualified teachers to work in our schools. Better schools mean a healthier Gilroy, increased property tax values and a safer community.
The money required is a small investment with potentially big returns. Our collective community will should be used to make this happen. Giving new teachers a housing break is the right thing to do. Good teachers are the key to raising the educational standards and that is a goal all our community leaders should get behind.
