SAN JOSE — In efforts to make more housing available for staff and teachers, San Jose Unified School District filed plans to develop more than 200 apartments in the city as they continue an analysis of the purchase of an existing apartment tower near San Pedro Square.
The district filed a preliminary proposal on Oct. 5 for the development of 288 apartments at its property at 760 Hillsdale Ave. in South San Jose, using a streamlined review process through provisions of Senate Bill 330, city planning files show.
“The San Jose Unified School District continues to advance its commitment to establish affordable workforce housing,” the school district stated. “The SB 330 pre-application will initiate a preliminary review for ground-up construction at the Hillsdale site, which has an estimated timeline of 26 to 41 months before construction begins.”
Separately, the district is reviewing the potential purchase of the 337-unit eastern tower at 188 West St. James St. Real estate firm Machine Investment Group is selling condominiums in the 303-unit western tower, while the eastern tower has never been occupied.
District officials said they will give final approval to just one of the two options, but not both.
The housing strategies emerged after voters in November 2024 approved Measure R, which authorizes the school district to issue $1.15 billion in bonds over 30 years for facilities improvements.
An estimated $283 million could be used to create housing for staffers and teachers.
“San Jose Unified is currently conducting extensive due diligence” regarding the eastern tower, the district said in statements released on Sept. 29. Commercial real estate firm CBRE is leading the analysis.
A purchase of the tower “could deliver affordable housing to employees at a lower cost than building from the ground up” and “make affordable housing a reality for our employees much faster, potentially within the next year, rather than three to four years or more for new construction,” the school district stated.
The district has vowed to keep the public fully informed of the process.
“The independent Measure R Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will thoroughly review and report publicly on whether any employee housing expenditure is entirely consistent with Measure R language and the voters’ explicit direction to the district,” school officials stated. “By thoroughly evaluating every option, San Jose Unified honors voter intent, ensures fiscal responsibility, and enables the best possible future experiences for both students and the dedicated teachers and staff who serve them.”
Eastern tower of the two-tower residential complex at 188 West St. James Street in downtown San Jose, seen in 2024. (Google Maps) (Google Maps)