Developer pitches privately funded workforce housing to Marion County School Board

Jason Roberts, founder of Upward Communities, presented a privately funded workforce-housing program to the Marion County School Board on June 19, proposing homes for essential school staff to reduce turnover and commuting burdens.

The proposal, Roberts told the board, would be “100% privately funded,” with his company fronting construction capital and preleasing to district employees. He said the model aims to lower staff housing costs, provide long-term stability and be positioned close to schools: "We are a 100% privately funded. That is me and our other companies that we operate, own, and run, stepping up to the plate using our money to support this project to make it viable." Roberts said similar projects are underway with other school districts and that the developer already has waiting lists and site approvals in Texas and elsewhere.

Board members and staff pressed Roberts on specifics most likely to affect the district: how rents would be set and increase over time, the likely term of any lease between the district and the developer, and how sites would be selected. Roberts said rents would reflect total project cost amortized over a long term and that his team typically works with leases in the multi‑decade range so the developer can recover investment: "The only person who's really locked in on the lease is me." He said exact rent levels and lease length will depend on site and infrastructure costs (sewer, water, land) and that the developer has spent six‑figure sums on feasibility work in other markets.

Board members sought legal and programmatic guardrails. Dr. James asked how lease length would be handled under Florida law; Roberts and the board’s attorney discussed options including long private leases while maintaining that the district could cancel annual appropriations. Multiple members asked the developer to prioritize redevelopment sites, local contractors and protections to prevent unintended community impacts. Several board members—while voicing interest in the concept—said they wanted clearer numbers and an attorney review before any formal commitment.

The board did not vote. Attorney Powers and district staff said they would continue reviewing lease language and fiscal details and report back. At the close of the discussion the board chair asked staff to coordinate next steps with counsel and the developer so the board could receive formal draft lease terms and financial details at a future meeting.

What’s next: Staff and counsel will continue negotiating draft lease language and financial terms with Upward Communities and return with those documents and a recommended timeline for design, community engagement and, if appropriate, contracting.

Ending: The proposal drew sustained interest from school board members as a potential recruiting and retention tool for teachers, bus drivers and other essential staff. No formal commitment was made; the board asked staff and the school attorney to continue negotiating and to report back with legal and financial analysis.