As school districts across the country grapple with teacher shortages and retention challenges, an effective solution is gaining traction: purpose-built teacher housing. At the upcoming North Carolina School Board Association Conference in Greensboro, Moseley Architects’ principals Ashley Dennis and Tom Liebel will share how this targeted approach to housing development can help school districts address staffing challenges while strengthening their communities.
More Than Just an Apartment Building
Purpose-built teacher housing goes beyond traditional multifamily developments. These properties feature specialized amenities designed specifically for educators, including teacher resource centers with high-speed copiers, collaborative spaces for lesson planning, and mentoring areas. Perhaps most importantly, they create an instant community of support for teachers.
“When you’re surrounded by other teachers, you’re given an instant network of colleagues and friends who understand what you are going through,” explains Tom Liebel, FAIA. “Whether it is intentional or passive mentoring, you have the ability to learn from others, share best practices, and commiserate when you have had a bad day.”
Meeting Diverse Community Needs
The benefits of teacher housing vary across different settings:
- In rural districts, where housing options are limited, teacher housing helps attract educators who might otherwise face long commutes from neighboring communities.
- For suburban districts, purpose-built housing enables teachers to live in the communities where they work, rather than being priced out.
- In urban districts, these developments provide affordable housing options in expensive markets while helping teachers establish roots in the communities they serve.
Ashley and Tom will share lessons learned through their work on Moseley Architects’ purpose-built teacher housing developments, such as Miller’s Court. The residential units specifically targeted at teachers new to Baltimore proved so successful that the developer began purchasing and rehabilitating nearby properties to sell to teachers at cost, creating a growing community of educator homeowners.
Practical Funding Solutions
School districts do not need to become housing developers to make these projects work. Through strategic partnerships with developers and effective use of resources like historic tax credits, districts can help facilitate teacher housing without significant direct investment. Some districts are even finding ways to repurpose surplus school buildings for housing, turning potential liabilities into valuable assets for teacher recruitment and retention.
A Promising Aid for Recruitment and Retention
With teacher attrition rates rising nationwide and housing costs continuing to climb, the need for effective housing solutions has never been greater. While purpose-built teacher housing is not entirely new, successful implementation requires careful planning and the right partnerships.
“We have already received multiple requests to share this presentation,” notes Ashley Dennis, highlighting the growing interest in this approach. “There is such a need for it, and districts are eager to learn how to make it work.”
Learn More
Ashley and Tom invite all NCSBA attendees to join their session on November 18, 2024, at 9:45 a.m. in the Morehead Room of the Sheraton Greensboro.
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