Committee advances bill directing HCD to help districts plan educator housing on district land

Assemblymember Bonta told the Senate Housing Committee that AB 1296 would address intertwined educator workforce shortages and housing affordability by directing the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to provide advisory technical assistance to school districts that want to plan housing projects on district‑owned land.

Bonta said school districts own substantial acreage—she cited a figure of “over 75,000 acres” of publicly owned land statewide—and that smaller districts often lack the capacity to carry out early predevelopment work. AB 1296 would not automatically convert lands to surplus; instead the bill would fund technical assistance for early planning, legal and financial navigation, and regulatory steps so districts could evaluate housing options for educators and other workforce housing.

Jordan Perna Carbajano (California YIMBY) testified in support. Committee members raised practical questions about whether educators want to live adjacent to schools and about how district land designated for housing differs from surplus land that can be sold. A senator asked whether school districts would serve as developers; the author and supporters said districts would typically work with developers or partners to structure deals and that the bill’s aim is to give districts the tools to evaluate options.

Senator Cortesi and others voiced support, referencing earlier statutes and HCD programs that provide technical assistance to public landowners. The committee passed AB 1296 to Appropriations; the roll call indicates an outcome of 7–2 at the time the committee concluded its business.

Supporters said the measure aims to expand workforce housing options without diverting classroom resources; opponents were not noted in committee testimony.