The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors selected Eden Housing on Feb. 6 to develop affordable housing for teachers in the West Valley.
The housing will be built in Cupertino as part of an effort to make it easier for teachers at West Valley schools to be able to live in the communities where they teach. The project site at 10333 N. Wolfe Road is currently owned by Apple.
“Our effort to bring teacher housing to the West Valley is making progress,” Supervisor Joe Simitian said in a press release. “The selection of a nonprofit developer is a tangible step forward in addressing a crucial area of need.”
Simitian and Supervisor Otto Lee initially proposed the idea after hearing from teachers who commute long distances or live doubled-up in tiny apartments because they can’t afford housing near the schools where they teach. As of January, median rents in Los Gatos, Cupertino and Saratoga were $3,220, $3,894 and $4,395, respectively–all well above the national average.
The Cupertino project joins the ranks of cities like Palo Alto and Mountain View, which both have similar projects in the works. County officials hope that the development can eventually house 75 to 100 teachers and staff from West Valley schools.
Los Gatos currently has a four-unit affordable housing project for teachers that was completed in 2022, located at 20 Dittos Lane near the downtown.
Katherine Tseng, a member of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District board, said in the release that creating affordable housing for teachers is an investment in the community. “Supporting our teachers improves their well being,” she added.
Eden Housing is due to host community meetings to gather input on the Cupertino project’s design and key features.