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Help Wanted: Bay Area school district asks parents if teachers can move in amid soaring rents

Friday, September 2, 2022

Bay Area school district asks parents if teachers can move in

The Milpitas Unified School District is asking parents for help to house Bay Area teachers and staff amid the high cost of living.

MILPITAS, Calif. (KGO) -- Most teachers struggle to make ends meet and with the high cost of living in the Bay Area, so the Milpitas Unified School District is asking parents for help by renting out extra rooms for teachers and staff.

"Hello MUSD learners and families..." It started with that greeting from the superintendent of Milpitas schools in a video at the beginning of the year.

Then this week, a plea was delivered to parents in an email.

"If you have a room for rent at your home and would like to share the housing opportunity with our Milpitas Unified School District educators, please fill out this Google form," it said.

Subbu Srinivasan, a Milpitas resident, said he think this is a good idea.

"I would, I mean definitely yes because my kids went to the same school district," he said. "I think housing is the biggest problem facing the Bay Area in general and California as a whole and it's a problem."

The school district says it's not only teachers struggling to stay in Milpitas, but all staff. Some were forced to move to more affordable communities.

The affordability issue is a challenge for the district because housing prices and rentals are very competitive.

"Tech companies like Google, Tesla, Facebook and these high paying jobs, so it's really hard for the average ordinary person," said Shawn Shergill, who also lives in Milpitas.

There is real concern nationwide for teachers.

For example, Airbnb keeps track of their hosts. Not surprisingly teachers are among them.

A new report released Tuesday found that nearly 20% of all U.S. Airbnb hosts identify as an educator or living with one. California is the top state.

"Their income from hosting actually has gone to cover the rising costs of living. Certainly a big reason why so many people turn to hosting is to supplement their income," said Liz DeBold Fusco with Airbnb.

According to Airbnb, local California educators earned more than 43 million dollars from hosting in 2021. That's if they can afford to own a home to begin with.

For those renting, the Milpitas School District says 40 people have responded to their call for rooms so far.