{"id":339111,"date":"2026-06-17T00:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/339111\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T00:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:01:13","slug":"hays-cisd-to-provide-affordable-housing-in-effort-to-retain-recruit-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/339111\/","title":{"rendered":"Hays CISD to provide affordable housing in effort to retain, recruit staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHays CISD<\/a> employees will soon have access to an affordable housing rental community exclusive to district staff. HCISD, in partnership with Upward Communities<\/a>, will break ground on the community this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more important than ever for school districts to come up with creative ways to attract and retain the most talented teachers and staff in Texas,\u201d Superintendent Eric Wright said in a news release. \u201cJust as schools, roads and utilities are essential infrastructure for our growing community, attainable housing for educators and staff who serve the community are needed to accompany that growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The big picture<\/p>\n

The 362-home community<\/a>, currently unnamed, will be located near Uhland Elementary School.<\/a> With more than 600 employees on the waitlist, HCISD is working to develop a system to determine who will be selected to live in the community. Dwellings will range from one-bedroom cottages to four-bedroom homes.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe neighborhood will include a pool, playgrounds, parks and event spaces. (Rendering courtesy Upward Communities)Neighborhood amenities will include:A pool and sundeckA sports loungeA private event spaceA children\u2019s playgroundOutdoor sports fieldsA dog parkNature pathsPickleball courtsPocket parksCommercial spacesRent prices will be set at below-market rates to support public school educators and staff amid rising costs, according to Chief Human Resources Officer Christina Courson.\"table<\/p>\n

\u201cFor many of us who haven’t gotten a pay raise in a few years, our money just doesn’t go as far as it did a few years ago,\u201d Courson said. \u201cOur board is passionate about that and has been strategic in making sure that we are the leaders in compensation in the region. But it’s still not quite enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

About the developer<\/p>\n

Upward Communities is a nonprofit group that \u201cpartners with school districts, cities, counties, hospitals and other public-sector employers to deliver attainable housing that supports recruitment, retention, and everyday quality of life,\u201d according to the website.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting for us to tackle such a large problem,\u201d Upward Communities CEO Jason Roberts said.<\/p>\n

The details<\/p>\n

District officials have been calling the housing initiative the Hays Homes program. The development to support the Hays Homes program will not come at zero cost to the district, according to Courson. HCISD already owns the land on which the community will be built, north of Uhland Elementary, which Courson said wasn\u2019t suitable for a campus. The community\u2019s location on the eastern side of the district boundaries will help Courson recruit staff for that area.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at the maps, you see all of the growth going towards the east side,\u201d Courson said. \u201cInterestingly, that\u2019s the side that\u2019s hardest for me to recruit for … how wonderful would it be to have this community that\u2019s uniquely built for our school district employees, and it\u2019s right there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The need<\/p>\n

Part of the push for the Hays Homes program stems from the growing number of teachers leaving the field to enter the corporate sector, according to Courson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen high numbers of teachers exiting the field of education,\u201d Courson said. \u201cWe\u2019re bleeding out veteran teachers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Statewide, teacher retention<\/a> dropped from about 90% with first-year teachers to approximately 56% among fifth-year teachers who started in 2020-21, according to the Texas Education Agency<\/a>. Attrition rates<\/a> have risen from 10.34% to 12.08% over the past 10 years, reaching as high as 13.45% in 2022-23.<\/p>\n

\"chart<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re actually giving the district a tool to now, not compete against other school districts, but to compete against other professions,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

The history<\/p>\n

In 2023, HCISD partnered with the Texas Workforce Commission<\/a> to provide incentivized apartment rentals for public employees, Courson said. The district was able to secure about 50 units in apartment buildings in Kyle at a lower rate for HCISD staff.<\/p>\n

Due to the popularity of the program, HCISD officials met with Upward Communities to discuss another housing opportunity for employees.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy taking care of our staff, they’re taking care of our students,\u201d Courson said. \u201cIf we don’t do something like this, I don’t know how we will have a staff to support the growth that’s coming, then to maintain the quality of education that we provide right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

HCISD approved the master lease agreement with Upward Communities in January 2025<\/a>, after receiving a preliminary presentation in December<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHays [CISD] was our first group to take the leadership plunge … and commit to this,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

Since then, Lockhart ISD \u201cimmediately\u201d jumped on the opportunity to build a similar community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason why any of this is possible at all is that we have a school board that is deeply committed to being what they call an unrivaled employee-friendly district,\u201d Courson said. \u201cAnd I think it\u2019s because of this true belief and number one priority of taking care of people that it felt very natural for our board to take the risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead<\/p>\n

Upward Communities and HCISD will hold a groundbreaking ceremony later this summer. Homes will be move-in ready in 2027 or 2028, according to Roberts.<\/p>\n

If the first phase is successful and there is a demand for it, Upward Communities will consider additional phases of the community.<\/p>\n

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