Multistudio has taken the lead to increase awareness regarding the critical need for workforce housing for public school districts in California, as well as outside the state.  Given our focus on both pK-12 educational facility planning/construction and multi-family housing, Multistudio is uniquely able to provide expertise to support and impact housing projects specifically for these public school districts. See our service offerings below to understand how we can best support your housing needs.

In November 2023, Multistudio’s San Francisco office hosted leaders from real estate, financial, policy, and education sectors to discuss K-12 workforce housing at the first of a series of think tanks. Session #1, Identifying a Path Forward for Workforce Housing, focused on eliminating barriers to affordable housing for K-12 teachers and staff. Session #2, From Project Concept to Completion: Leveraging Partnership in Workforce Housing, built on those lessons in June 2024, connecting K-12 districts with resources, partners, and potential pathways toward feasible workforce housing. Our third think tank, occurring in November 2024, Session #3: Understanding the Financial Feasibility of a pK-12 Workforce Housing Project centered on analysis of financial plans and capital structures for a sample feasibility study pK-12 workforce housing project, which served as a real-time workshop on the financial “levers” can be utilized.  To read our key takeaways, please use the links below.

Through this series of think tanks, Multistudio has formed a network of school districts, developers, program and construction managers, advisors, and California legislative policy advocates who have direct experience with workforce and affordable housing. We are able to work with K-12 districts to bring in the right partner at the right time in the lifecycle of your workforce housing project.

Our Partners

Kitchell, RLR Ventures LLC, Royal Bank of Canada, The Annex Group, Education Housing Partners, Housing Action Coalition, Jefferson Union High School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, San Francisco Unified School District, South San Francisco Unified School District

Our Services

Land Allocation: Multistudio can guide your district on how to best utilize school-owned land for workforce housing, advising on site selection, site planning, zoning considerations, and how to maximize available space for housing while maintaining school operations.

Rent Subsidies: We can support your district in connecting with developers who can facilitate discussions about integrating subsidy options or exploring funding structures within the project’s financial model to keep rents affordable for educators.

Design of Support Spaces: Multistudio can work with your district to develop a program that includes on-site supportive services, like financial education and counseling spaces, which aid teachers in building financial stability. We can also advise on the inclusion of amenity spaces that support community-building among residents and the community.

Planning: Multistudio can educate your district on the development process, offering guidance on creating long-term plans for workforce housing that optimize district-owned assets. By collaborating with developers, advisors, and consultants, we can help your districts establish a roadmap for quality, affordable workforce housing.

Feasibility Studies: We can conduct studies to assess the viability of workforce housing on your district’s land. This involves site assessments, financial projections, and evaluations of zoning and regulatory requirements to determine the best approach for development.

Community Engagement and Outreach: Multistudio can facilitate meetings and workshops with the school community, local stakeholders, and neighboring residents to help address concerns, gather input, and build support for the project. This outreach will help to ensure that the project aligns with the community’s needs and expectations.

Master Planning and Visioning: We can develop comprehensive master plans that integrate workforce housing with school properties, future expansions, and infrastructure improvements. Together with your district, we can create a vision that aligns the housing project with your district’s long-term educational and operational goals.

Sustainability and Resilience Planning: Our team integrates sustainable and resilient design strategies into all of our work, ensuring that your workforce housing project is energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and equipped to handle regional challenges like earthquakes, fires, or extreme weather.

Financial and Funding Strategy Support: We are well-equipped to assist districts in navigating financing options, including grants, low-interest loans, and public-private partnerships. We will also collaborate with financial consultants to create a viable funding plan tailored to your district.

Request for Qualifications/Proposals (RFQ/P) Development: We provide support to develop RFQ/Ps tailored to the project you wish to deliver which will bring the teams that best align with your values and goals for project delivery.

Design of Shared and Flexible Spaces: Designing spaces within the housing complex that support both living and work-life balance for teachers, such as coworking areas, shared amenity spaces, and community gardens. These shared spaces can foster a sense of community among educators.

Phased Development Strategy: For districts with limited budgets, we can develop phased plans that allow workforce housing to be built in stages. This helps the district spread costs over time while progressively adding housing units as demand and funding permit.

Coordination with Housing Policy Advocates: We can connect districts with housing policy experts who can provide insights into navigating local and state regulations, ensuring the project aligns with affordable housing policies and meets regulatory standards.

Design for Teacher and Staff Well-Being: We will integrate design elements that focus on wellness, with spaces for relaxation, mental health support, and social interaction.

Evaluation of Local Housing Market and Needs: Multistudio can conduct or facilitate studies on the local housing market to determine specific needs and demands, ensuring the workforce housing project is appropriately scaled and designed to meet the needs of district employees.

Learn More

Contact us at [email protected].

Additional Resources