San Diego Unified step closer to building 1,674 affordable housing units for staff

The San Diego Unified School District is moving forward with proposals to construct nearly 1,700 affordable housing units for its employees, following approval by its board.

The vote, held Monday night at a special affordable housing workshop, will allow district staff to “begin due diligence and negotiate best-and-final term sheets” for a project at the district’s headquarters and another location in Sherman Heights.

Monday night’s vote does not constitute full approval for the locations, which would entail 1,674 total units. Additional approval by the Board of Trustees is needed once more details are worked out between the district and developers.

“Our board’s thoughtful consideration of these workforce housing proposals reflects our commitment to tackling the affordability crisis facing so many dedicated educators and support staff,” SDUSD superintendent Fabi Bagula said. “By moving these projects forward, the board is taking meaningful steps toward creating quality homes that are within reach for the people who make our schools successful.”

The Protea + Malick development at the Eugene Brucker Education Center would create 1,500 units intended to be affordable for varying socioeconomic levels — from 50% of the area median income to 120% of AMI. According to the proposal, other elements of the development might include site improvements allowing for a dropoff and pickup parking area for the adjacent Birney Elementary School, a pool for San Diego high school student use, as well as a child care facility, dog park and community garden.

The other proposal advanced Monday came from Mirka Investment and is intended for the Irving Street Warehouse site at 2101 Commercial Street. This development proposes 174 units of affordable workforce housing from 30% to 80% AMI and $7.5 million in guaranteed rent. Mirka also suggested a 6,000-square- foot child care facility.

If the Mirka proposal is deemed unfeasible, another proposal by Decro Corporation to construct 86 units at the site is waiting in the wings, the district said.

In March 2025, the SDUSD board voted to allow the district to request proposals to create employee housing after setting a goal of providing 10% of its workforce with affordable housing by 2030. San Diego Unified serves more than 121,000 students in pre-school through grade 12 and is the second largest district in California. It has more than 226 educational facilities with 13,559 employees.

Last month, the board of education reviewed proposals for five sites from a total of 15 proposals, selecting one project at the Instructional Media Center in Birdland but punting on the rest. On Dec. 19, the district invited all qualified developers for the remaining four sites to present their concepts at Monday’s workshop.

If approved, the nearly 1,700 units advanced Monday will nearly double the number of school district housing units built across the state since 2002.