Workforce Housing
ARUSD is developing workforce housing to ensure educators from Alum Rock can live in the community they teach.

Mayfair Workforce Housing Project
- About the Project
- Why Workforce Housing?
- Process to Date
- Approval Process
- Project Team
- Funding
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Us
- Project Spec Sheet
About the Project
Providing Homes for the Teachers and Staff Who Serve Our Community
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District (ARUSD) is developing 78 below-market rate rental apartments for ARUSD teachers and staff on a portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus, located at 2050 Kammerer Avenue in San Jose. The project will provide a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments designed to serve a range of household sizes.
Like other school districts across California, ARUSD faces a serious challenge recruiting and retaining educators due to the high cost of local housing. By offering quality housing at affordable rates, this project will help teachers and staff live in the community where they work—reducing long commutes, improving retention, and strengthening our schools.
In November 2022, voters approved Measure S, authorizing ARUSD to issue general obligation bonds to provide financing for the construction of workforce housing, among other capital projects. Education Housing Partners, Inc. was retained in 2023 to evaluate potential sites and project feasibility, and the Board approved a ~5-acre portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus as the project site. In 2025 the District completed a competitive RFQ/P process to qualify and select a Design-Build firm to design and construct the project, and in January 2026 the Board approved CORE Builders and Steinberg Hart as the Design-Build team.
The housing will be constructed on an approximately 5-acre portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus, located at 2050 Kammerer Avenue. The community will include three (3) three-story buildings, an amenity building, landscaped courtyard and open space, a children’s play structure, and fenced dog run for resident use. Approximately two parking spaces per unit will be provided through a mix of garage and surface parking.
Project at a Glance78 below-market-rate rental apartments • Affordable to low- to moderate-income ARUSD employees (50% of units reserved for low income employees) • Mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units • Three-story buildings with 2 parking stalls/unit • Located on a portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus • Funded by Measure S General Obligation Bonds
Why Workforce Housing?
Supporting Our Educators and Our Students
Housing costs in San Jose and the surrounding region have increased dramatically in recent decades. Many ARUSD teachers and staff cannot afford to live in the community where they work—often commuting long distances or leaving the District altogether. Workforce housing is an investment in our people and, ultimately, in the quality of education we provide to our students.
The benefits of this project include:
- Improved ability to recruit and retain high-quality teachers and staff
- Reduced long commutes that contribute to employee burnout and turnover
- Greater community connection—when teachers live where they teach, students benefit
- A more stable and consistent learning environment for all ARUSD students
- Support for employees who are priced out of the local housing market
Process to Date
How We Got Here
ARUSD has been working diligently over the past few years to bring this project to fruition. Here is a summary of key milestones to date:
|
Date |
Milestone |
|
November 2022 |
Voters approve Measure S, authorizing General Obligation bonds to finance workforce housing and other capital projects. |
|
2023 |
ARUSD retains EHP to evaluate potential sites and assess project feasibility, in coordination with ARUSD’s Workforce Housing committee. Board approves an approximately 5-acre portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus as the project site. |
|
2024-2025 |
District completes a competitive RFQ/P process to qualify and select a Design-Build team. |
|
January 2026 |
Board approves CORE Builders and Steinberg Hart as the Design-Build team. |
|
March 2026 |
Preliminary housing application submitted to the City of San Jose. |
|
April 2026 |
Full development application submitted to the City of San Jose. |
The project is now undergoing review by the City of San Jose and ARUSD is working closely with City staff to advance the project. Community outreach and communication will continue throughout the entitlement and construction process.
Approval Process
City Review and Entitlements
ARUSD is pursuing project entitlements through a State streamlining process designed to facilitate the creation of affordable employee housing by public school districts (Assembly Bill 2295). In March 2026, the District submitted a Preliminary Housing Application under Senate Bill (SB) 330 to the City of San Jose, followed by a full project application in April 2026. Under SB 35, the project is proceeding through a ministerial review process focused on compliance with the City's objective development standards. This approach is expected to significantly reduce the time required to obtain approvals compared to a traditional discretionary review process, allowing the housing to be constructed at a lower cost to the District and occupied earlier for the benefit of District teachers and staff.
The estimated project timeline is as follows:
- Application submittal: Q1 2026
- City approvals: Q3 2026
- Construction documents and permitting: Q3 2026-Q2 2027
- Construction Start: Q2 2027
- Construction Completion: Q4 2028
Project Team
Experienced Partners Working for ARUSD
ARUSD has assembled a highly experienced team to deliver this project:
- Education Housing Partners, Inc. – A nonprofit development advisor with extensive experience supporting California school districts in the creation of employee workforce housing.
- CORE Builders – A San-Jose based Design-Build contractor selected through a competitive RFQ/P process to construct the project
- Steinberg Hart – Architecture firm and Design-Build partner with substantial experience working in San Jose, responsible for the design of the residential community
A professional third-party property management company will be selected by the District to manage the leasing process and daily operations of the housing community once it is complete. District staff will not be responsible for day-to-day property management.
Funding
Measure S: Voter-Approved Funding for Workforce Housing
In November 2022, voters approved Measure S, authorizing ARUSD to issue General Obligation bonds to fund the construction of employee workforce housing, among other capital improvement projects. The ARUSD Employee Workforce Housing project will be funded by Measure S bond proceeds and is a fulfillment of this commitment to voters. No District operational funds will be used for this project.
Frequently Asked Questions
May 2026
Q. What is the proposed ARUSD Employee Workforce Housing project at 2050 Kammerer Avenue?
A. The ARUSD Employee Workforce Housing project will provide 78 rental apartments for teachers and staff on a portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson school campus. The community will include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments designed to serve a range of household types and sizes. All units will be offered at below-market rental rates, with 50% of units reserved for lower-income employee households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Estimated rents are anticipated to start as low as $1,800/month.
Q. Why is ARUSD proposing a workforce housing project?
A. The Bay Area’s rising cost of living has made it increasingly difficult for District employees to find housing they can afford in the local community or even in the region. In 2022, ARUSD surveyed teachers and staff and found strong interest in affordable, District-owned rental housing. The District has identified workforce housing as a strategic priority for several key reasons:
- Many teachers and staff are priced out of the local housing market, making recruitment and retention increasingly challenging
- Staff turnover carries real financial costs to the District in the form of ongoing recruitment and training
- When employees can live close to where they work, they arrive more rested and engaged — reducing fatigue and turnover, and creating a more stable environment for students to learn and thrive
Q. What is the proposed development program?
A. The current project includes:
- 78 rental apartments with an average unit size of approximately 960 square feet
- A unit mix of 28% one-bedroom, 62% two-bedroom, and 10% three-bedroom apartments
- Three, three-story residential buildings with a mix of garage and surface parking
- An amenity building, landscaped courtyard and resident amenity space that includes a children's play area and fenced dog run
- Approximately 2 parking stalls per unit
Q. How does this project relate to Measure S?
A. In November 2022, Alum Rock voters approved Measure S, authorizing ARUSD to issue General Obligation bonds to fund the construction of employee workforce housing, among other capital projects. This project is a direct fulfillment of that voter mandate. The total estimated project cost is approximately $55,000,000 (approximately $700,000 per unit) and will be fully funded by Measure S bond proceeds. No District operational funds will be allocated to the project.
Q. Why was this site selected?
A. ARUSD evaluated several District-owned properties for their suitability for employee housing. The approximately 5-acre portion of the Renaissance Academy at Mathson campus at 2050 Kammerer Avenue was selected based on its size, suitability for development, and compatibility with residential use. Education Housing Partners, Inc. was retained in 2023 to evaluate project feasibility before the Board approved this location in September 2023.
Q. Who will be eligible to live in the housing community?
A. The housing will be offered to ARUSD employees including teachers, custodians, and other classified and certificated staff. All 78 units will be available at below-market rates. Fifty percent of units will be reserved for lower-income employee households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) — currently, a household of four earning up to approximately $159,000 meets this threshold.
Q. What are the estimated rents?
A. All 78 units will be offered at below-market rental rates with estimated rents starting as low as $1,800/month for one-bedroom units. On average, rents across the community are projected to be approximately 40% below current market rates for comparable residential developments in San Jose.
Q. How will parking be handled?
A. We understand that parking is an important consideration for neighboring residents. The project includes approximately two parking stalls per unit, provided through on-site garage and surface parking — a ratio we anticipate will adequately meet the needs of residents and guests. The project has been designed with the goal of minimizing any parking impacts on surrounding neighborhood streets.
Q. What is the approval process for the project?
A. ARUSD is pursuing project entitlements through a State streamlining process designed to facilitate the creation of affordable employee housing by public school districts (Assembly Bill 2295). In March 2026, the District submitted a Preliminary Housing Application under Senate Bill (SB) 330 to the City of San Jose, followed by a full SB 35 project application in April 2026. Under SB 35, the project is proceeding through a ministerial review process focused on compliance with the City’s objective development standards. This approach is expected to significantly reduce the time required to obtain approvals compared to a traditional discretionary review process, allowing the housing to be constructed at a lower cost to the District and occupied earlier for the benefit of District teachers and staff.
Q. What is the anticipated project timeline?
A. The current estimated schedule is:
- City application submittal: April 2026
- City approvals: Anticipated 3–6 months from full application submission
- Construction Start: Q2 2027
- Construction Completion: Q4 2028
This timeline is subject to change based on the project approvals and permitting process.
Q. How will construction impacts be managed?
A. Construction will follow all applicable City requirements and industry best practices related to noise, dust, and work hours. The District will maintain a dedicated point of contact throughout construction for neighbors who have questions or concerns and will provide regular project updates to the surrounding community.
Q. Who are the members of the project team?
A. The District has assembled an experienced team of professionals with a track record of delivering workforce housing for school districts across California:
- Education Housing Partners, Inc. (EHP) is serving as the District's workforce housing development advisor, guiding site feasibility, the entitlement process, and general project management.
- CORE Builders is the Design-Build contractor responsible for constructing the project. The Board approved CORE Builders in January 2026 following a competitive RFQ/P process.
- Steinberg Hart is the Design-Build architect responsible for designing the project, also approved by the Board in January 2026.
Q. Who will manage the housing once it is built?
A. The housing will be managed by a professional third-party property management company to be selected by the District. The property management firm will handle leasing, building and site maintenance, and daily operations of the community. District staff will not be responsible for day-to-day property management.
Q. What if there is not enough demand from ARUSD staff?
A. Employee surveys conducted by ARUSD have indicated strong interest from staff in quality, affordable housing close to their workplace. While unlikely, in the event that demand is insufficient to fill all units, the District would first offer units to income-qualifying employees of other school districts or public agencies before considering the broader public. The District's objective is for 100% of units to be occupied by ARUSD employees and their households.
Q. What is the status of the MACSA proposal?
A. The Board approved a time extension for a proposed operator to develop a funding strategy for the construction and operations of a new MACSA building. The ARUSD employee workforce housing project will not impact the proposed MACSA replacement, which if approved by the Board would be constructed at the corner of Lavonne Ave and Sinclair Dr.
Q. Will Renaissance Academy continue operating at the Mathson campus?
A. Yes. The workforce housing project will occupy an approximately 5-acre portion of the broader Mathson campus. The Renaissance Academy will continue to operate, and the District is planning to build a new track & field facility elsewhere on campus.
Q. How does this project ultimately benefit District staff — and the broader community?
A. San Jose's housing costs have made it hard for many District employees to live anywhere near where they work. By offering quality housing at rates well-below market, ARUSD employees — the teachers, custodians, and staff who show up every day for our students — will have a real opportunity to live in the community they serve. That means shorter commutes, less stress, more stability, and the chance to build financial security. For students and families, it means a more consistent, committed, and connected workforce. For the broader community, this housing is an investment in Alum Rock’s schools and its future.
Contact Us
Get In Touch
ARUSD is committed to open and ongoing communication with the community throughout this process. We encourage neighbors, community members, and any others interested in the project to contact us with any questions or comments.
Ways to stay involved:
- Attend the Community Open House on May 21, 2026 (see details above)
- Visit this webpage for periodic updates
- Contact the project team with questions or comments
For questions about the ARUSD Employee Workforce Housing project, please contact:
Joanna Julian
Education Housing Partners, Inc.
JJulian@thompsondorfman.com










