School districts in Central Florida are struggling to find enough teachers, especially as the population grows. Some districts are trying to stand out because they are competing for the same small pool of candidates. For example, in Volusia County, they are considering offering affordable housing as an incentive.
The shortage is even more serious in low-income areas like the 32114 zip code in Daytona Beach. Many children in this zip code live in poverty, making teachers jobs more difficult and costly. Florida teachers, on average, earn about $51,000 per year, which is already tight, especially with rising housing costs. However, an organization called Homes Bring Hope is working to make homeownership more attainable for teachers. They sell homes to clients based on their affordability and provide down-payment assistance.
Forough Hosseini, the founder of Homes Bring Hope, recently pitched her idea to school board members in Volusia County. She asked for land in the 32114 area to build affordable homes for district staff. The goal is to provide teachers with an opportunity for homeownership, which could serve as an incentive to work in the school system.
According to Homes Bring Hope, most of the people they’ve assisted pay less in monthly mortgage payments compared to rent. The district is enthusiastic about using affordable housing as a recruitment tool, but no final decisions have been made, and the proposal will be discussed in future school board meetings.
Here’s where you can support Homes Bring Hope.
