Focus Area 3 - Explore Generating Revenue from Properties

Resource Alignment Initiative goal: Explore opportunities to leverage the District’s property to generate more value for District students.

As part of the Resource Alignment Initiative, the District is aligning resources to support our efforts to meet these goals. For this focus area of the Resource Alignment Initiative, the District is exploring how to leverage property best to generate more revenue. In May 2023, the Board adopted the Facilities Master Plan (FMP), the District’s 10-year work plan to guide physical improvement of school sites. The FMP is our road map of how the department will invest limited resources to improve school spaces to serve the whole child, respond to school community priorities, and align with the SFUSD mission and values. Educator Housing is one part of the policy directives in the FMP.

Current District properties consist of the following:

• 120 school sites
• 12 administrative buildings
• 21 leased sites (including charters)
• Two undeveloped parcels of land

SFUSD’s real estate goals for Educator Housing include: 

• Recruit and retain high-quality teachers to support student achievement goals
• Develop 550 units of educator housing by 2030 per Board of Education Resolution
• Support long-term financial sustainability by generating ongoing revenue streams

Community feedback about SFUSD properties is happening via a multidisciplinary Housing Working Group that has informed the District’s housing strategy since October 2023. The working group, composed of 15 community members with experience in real estate development, affordable housing, creative financing tools, housing policy, and SFUSD labor partners, is providing technical assistance and recommendations to inform the District’s real estate decision-making.

About the District's Educator Housing 

At the SF Board of Education Regular Meeting on April 16, the Board approved resolutions to declare the properties at 1620 7th Ave. and 95 Gough St. Exempt Surplus Land as well as to submit a waiver to the State Board of Education to utilize a Request for Proposals process rather than an competitive bid requirement to consider proposals for the development of housing for district employees at the two sites. Many school districts throughout the state also request waivers of the competitive bid requirement to allow for a more flexible request for proposals process. This process would allow the district to further the goal of development employee housing.

SFUSD is committed to prioritizing housing opportunities for District educators and employees. On January 14, 2020, the District’s Board adopted Resolution 1911-12A1 to develop 550 educator housing units by 2030. On May 9, 2023, the Board again demonstrated its commitment to creating housing opportunities by approving the Facilities Master Plan, which prioritizes housing opportunities for District educators.

The District has made progress toward its housing goals by constructing Shirley Chisholm Village, the District’s first affordable rental housing project with a preference for District educators and employees. Located at 1360 43rd Avenue, Shirley Chisholm Village will include 135 units of affordable rental housing. The project is currently under construction, with an estimated completion date in Fall 2024. 

For more information on the District’s real estate goals, please see the real estate strategy slides presented to the District Advisory Committee in January 2024.

As part of the Housing Strategy, the BOE approved the State Board of Educator Waiver at it’s April 16, 2024 meeting. The District is required to seek a waiver from the State Board of Education to allow use of a request for proposal (RFP) process, instead of a high bid process, which would not allow for selection of a preferred lessee other than a high bidder. This will allow the District to add additional evaluation criteria to be considered when selecting the vendor such as revenue targets for financial stability.

The Board of Education approved the bond proposal for the November 2024 ballot on May 1, 2024 (Press Release). The 2024 bond measure will work in coordination with the district’s Resource Alignment Initiative, prioritizing investments that are responsive to the future of SFUSD’s school portfolio and that directly benefit students. Bond funds will only be used for schools that remain in the district’s portfolio. Concurrently, as part of SFUSD’s effort to align resources to improve student outcomes, the district will also explore opportunities to leverage its property to generate more value for SFUSD students.