CMS Unveils Details of New Teacher Housing Initiative
Program will begin with rental vouchers, continue with housing community
Having built a plan based on discussions that started with a housing fair in June, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools leaders last week announced the details of its new At Home in CMS initiative, which will provide local rental and homeownership options in a community dedicated to teacher housing.
At a Nov. 14 press conference at Esperanza Global Academy, CMS officials detailed the initiative’s goal of attracting and retaining top educators by partnering with Ascent, Laurel Street and DreamKey Partners and local leaders to offer apartments at below-rate rent and homeownership opportunities for teachers in the district.
At Home in CMS will include several phases, the first phase being priority access to high quality apartments for teachers in high-need Charlotte Mecklenburg schools. The second phase involves homeownership opportunities at deep discounts through local developers along with grants from partners to provide down payment assistance, and the third phase will feature the development of a first-of-its-kind CMS educator community including roughly 100 units. That is slated to break ground in 2025.
“At Home in CMS is a direct response to the needs expressed by our educators,” CMS Board of Education Chair Stephanie Sneed said at the meeting. “That’s why we’re using every available resource to ensure our teachers have a place to call home in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.”
In a survey of district educators, 93% said they were most concerned about housing costs, while 61% said housing issues may impact whether they continue to work for CMS, Sneed said.
“Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers engage and inspire our students every day, and we want them to continue to do so by making Charlotte their home,” CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill said. “Our At Home in CMS initiative helps bridge the gap that exists between educators and affordable housing in Charlotte and will strengthen our community and enhance our workforce.”
“We have a strong educator community here, but that community has faced some real challenges in securing financial stability and secure housing,” CMS teacher Genita Nashville said.
Nashville and other CMS educators have faced eviction due to steep rental prices, with many of her colleagues forced to move out of the district to find affordable housing.
“This turnover isn’t just a staff problem, it’s a loss for the whole community,” she said.
To combat that turnover, At Home in CMS will offer teachers rental discounts, referral programs, downpayment assistance and more to keep them where they are. Payment assistance programs like House Charlotte are also available through DreamKey Partners.
“At Home in CMS is just one element of our district’s vision for building an unparalleled educator workforce,” CMS Chief of Recruitment, Retention and Talent Development Nancy Brightwell said. “We also continue working at the local level and in Raleigh to increase salaries. We are expanding professional development. And we remain committed to our educators’ work-life support.”
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CMS also held its first series of financial and home ownership literacy events in June, drawing an estimated 500 attendees participating in housing fairs and webinars for CMS employees. A second event is planned for Jan. 25, 2025.
