In partnership with the Berkeley Unified School District, Satellite Affordable Housing Associates and Abode Communities — two nonprofit organizations committed to making housing more accessible — are in the process of developing affordable workforce housing for Berkeley teachers. Located at 1701 San Pablo Avenue, the project will replace a portion of the Berkeley Adult School parking lot. Construction for the project started in June 2025, with the project’s expected completion date being 2027.
Joanne Dumbrigue, college counselor at Berkeley High School, is planning on living in the new workforce housing and has signed up for the waitlist. “It’s nice to have this offered to our employees here, and it’ll keep us in the area where we teach,” Dumbrigue said.
Currently, Longfellow Middle School is located at the Berkeley Adult School, due to a relocation following the discovery of dry rot on campus. Longfellow is expected to remain there until the summer of 2028, resulting in the construction of the housing project overlapping with much of Longfellow’s stay.
“The biggest gripe was the loss of the parking lot for our staff and how we have had to impact the surrounding neighborhood and park in the street,” Melanie Ford, Longfellow Middle School librarian, said.
Once completed, the proposed housing will be a six-story building, with approximately 110 apartment homes, a courtyard, community garden, children’s playground, and more.
One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will be available to people whose household income is between 30 percent and 120 percent of the Area Median Income, prioritizing BUSD employees and their families. Rent is expected to range from around $900 to $3,200, depending on household size and income.
The project is primarily funded through Measure O, a $135 million bond measure, passed in 2018, which provides funding for affordable housing for middle- and low-income families. Other financing includes $26.5 million from the City of Berkeley, California Housing Finance Agency, and more.
The building of the workforce housing is yet another effort from the district to combat the teacher housing crisis. According to a survey conducted by the California Teachers Association, 84 percent of teachers cannot afford to live where they work, and 81 percent said teacher salaries are not enough to cover rising costs of expenses like groceries and childcare. Especially in Berkeley — the worst housing market for buyers in the United States, according to a study by Consumer Affairs — many, including teachers, struggle to find housing in their price range. As a result, teachers are forced to find housing in other cities, and some quit teaching in BUSD due to financial reasons. A survey done by BUSD in 2017 revealed that two thirds of its staff do not live in Berkeley. Aislinn Klein, BHS Spanish teacher, recently moved to Berkeley from Oakland, where she used to commute to work. “In terms of energy, planning time, general happiness, and ability to attend things like school performances and sports, I can attest to how much better a teacher I am because I live closer now,” Klein said.
One concern related to the construction of the development is the potential disturbance and danger for the Longfellow students. As a measure to ensure the safety of Longfellow students and staff, the project will be fenced, and a sound wall put up between the construction site and school campus.
While this project is generally viewed as a positive development and a step toward competitive compensation, some believe it is not enough. “It’s one part of a solution, but it’s not a total solution, because I think we’re not being paid accordingly,” Dumbrigue said, “I don’t think our salaries are indicative of the area that we work in.” Besides building affordable housing for teachers and school employees, other proposed solutions include increased bonuses and compensation, and down payment assistance.
With the educator housing construction underway, BUSD is one step closer toward ending the teacher housing crisis. Despite some concerns, many await the housing’s opening, believing the project to be an improvement for the community, as well as a relief to many teachers in the district.