Board of Equalization hears proposals for workforce housing on public lands

The Board of Equalization held an informational hearing on workforce housing by public agencies focusing on how school districts, community colleges and other public bodies can use surplus land and new financing tools to build affordable units for employees.

The hearing matters because presenters said public agencies hold land that could be used to address teacher and staff shortages, reduce long commutes and fill a gap in “missing‑middle” housing that does not qualify for typical affordable‑housing subsidies.

Richard Barrera, deputy state superintendent with the California Department of Education, told the board that a 2022 study for the California School Boards Association found school districts own roughly 75,000 acres that could be developed and that at moderate density “30 units per acre” could yield about 2.3 million potential housing units statewide. Barrera said only a few hundred units have been completed so far and that many districts lack the predevelopment capacity to move from interest to construction.

Barrera described the main barrier as upfront predevelopment costs and staff expertise. He said many districts need roughly $100,000–$200,000 to complete site surveys,…