Affordable housing for teachers in the bulletin for Pflugerville ISD

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Among the eight election bond proposals before voters in November is a decision to give Pflugerville ISD the ability to create affordable housing for teachers.

Superintendent Doug Killian said that amid ongoing teacher and labor shortages, it will make Pflugerville more attractive to teachers, especially those who live alone or are fresh out of college.

He said if voters approve that measure, referred to as Proposition H on the ballot, the district will look at buying an existing housing complex or building its own housing development. Killian said PFISD Housing will build 100 units containing one-, two- and three-bedroom options.

Critics of Prop H have questioned why the district wouldn’t use the money to raise teacher salaries instead. Killian said it just couldn’t happen with the same means.

“The problem is that these are two separate sources of funding,” Killian said. “We are not allowed to pay salaries from taxes to service the debt.”

August Plock is the president of the Pflugerville Teachers Association, which is the union that represents teachers in Pflugerville.

He said the union approached the district about the idea, taking inspiration from other cities that have a high cost of living.

“Counties in the San Francisco Bay Area have been doing this for about 10 years,” Plock said. “Based on interviews with these teachers, they say it makes a big difference.”

To read the entire Pflugerville ISD Bond Election, click here connection.