Texas Workforce Housing Foundation Partners With Texas School Districts To Provide Affordable Workforce Housing Options For Educators

​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 6, 2023

Contact: press@txwhf.org

​

AUSTIN, TX – In response to the escalating workforce housing crisis in Texas, the Texas Workforce Housing Foundation (TWHF) has established ongoing partnerships with school districts across the state to provide affordable workforce housing options to school district staff. TWHF’s initiative aims to tackle the pressing issue of affordable-workforce housing for school district employees, a demographic disproportionately affected by the scarcity of housing options on top of the burdens of rising property taxes that increase rents in fast-growing Texas communities. 

 

Texas school districts recognize the value of workforce housing as a recruitment and retention solution to attract staff. Multiple independent school districts are partnering with TWHF to provide workforce housing options for their employees. These agreements establish self-sustaining, 'living' funds that will provide rent relief for years to come to the 'missing middle' of our workforce that is trapped in the housing spectrum.  

 

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, a staggering 46% of Texas renters are currently cost-burdened. This crisis is particularly acute for educators making it increasingly challenging for school districts to attract and retain qualified staff. As a nonprofit corporation, TWHF specializes in developing, acquiring, rehabilitating, managing, and maintaining workforce housing properties across the state, in an orderly, planned manner at the lowest possible costs. The Foundation serves as a vital bridge, without taxpayer dollars, mitigating the impact of rising housing costs on educators' limited budgets. Through its educator housing program, school district staff can apply for application fee assistance and rent relief that the TWHF provides to the property management company on the tenant’s behalf, in a variety of locationsthroughout the state. 

 

“Providing financial assistance and quality housing for educators and the staff that support our schools is critically important to the future of our state. School district staff serve in some of the most important roles in our communities. It is absolutely vital that they have a suitable place to live, and a place they are proud to call home in the communities where they and their children build life-long relationships that open future doors. At the same time, they need access to housing options are affordable and within close proximity to the schools where they work,so they don’t waste hours comutting to and from work,” said Aundre Dukes, President and Chairman.   

 

“We are only getting started. One of our goals is to take the pressure of the housing crisis off of our school districts, allowing them to leverage our expertise and resources to deliver units so they can remain laser focused on educating our children, instead of venturing into developing and operatingcomplex real esate projects. We value our ongoing partnerships with school districts who recognize the incredible value of supporting our educators through rent relief, and we look forward to working with many more districts across the state to close the critical gap within the broader housing crisis.”  

 

Recent agreements highlight the commitment to the cause: 

In June 2023, Round Rock ISD executed an agreement with TWHF for an initial $1,000,000 to provide rent relief on 100 units for local educators. 
In August 2023, Austin ISD executed an agreement with TWHF for an initial $2,000,000 to provide rent relief on 200 units for local educators.
 

Austin ISD, with over 70% of employees burdened by housing costs, is taking proactive steps by building housing units on surplus district land within the next 12 months. Other districts across the state are also considering expanding workforce housing options for their staff through this program. 

 

###