A nonprofit in Oakland is taking a big step to help teachers afford to live in a high-priced housing market.

The housing-focused group Rooted purchased a residential building that it will rent to Oakland Unified School District teachers and employees.

The 33-unit building on Claremont Avenue sold for $12.6 million.

The nonprofit said the units will be rented at about half the cost of market-rate apartments, which Rooted believes is a first-of-its-kind program.

Rooted is run through the Oakland Fund, which is looking to raise money to buy 150 units for teachers over the next three years.