Teacher Preference Housing Examined in Salem

The City of Salem, working with the local district council of the Urban Land Institute, has conducted a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) to examine Teacher Preference Housing on the 61-acre lot of Salem High School. The starting salary in Salem for teachers is approximately $48,000, meaning a new educator would likely be cost burdened by the average housing costs in the city. Creating housing on publicly owned land could alleviate that burden to help recruit and retain new teachers.

Over 3 days the TAP Panel, ULI Staff, and community stakeholders met virtually and conducted on site visits to assess whether Teacher Preference Housing is feasible. One of the stakeholders was our own 2020 NSR President Cynthia Nina-Soto, Nina-Soto Realty.

A report of the findings has been released on the city website here. The report lists challenges, observations, recommendations, and conclusions for considering educator housing on the site of the High School. Recommendations include creation of a long-range plan, engaging the community in the process, and if development is feasible partnering with a private housing developer for the creation and maintenance of the units.