First-of-its-kind housing for school workers planned for this Sacramento lot
A developer plans to build affordable housing for employees of the Twin Rivers Unified School District, marking the first known project of its kind in the city of Sacramento.
Sacramento-based 19Six Architects has submitted plans to the city to build an 115-unit complex at a vacant lot next to Chuckwagon Park in South Natomas.
The project would include a variety of buildings that are up to three stories, according to the application filed with the city last month.
Once the complex opens, the district will offer the units at a 20% discount to district employees, compared to similar market-rate units in the area, said Stephen Ullman of 19Six Architects.
That’s different from the way most government-subsidized affordable apartment projects work, which are only available to tenants who earn below a certain income.
How much the employee tenants will pay in rent is not yet known, Ullman said.
If approved, the project would become the first known development in the city specifically for the employees of a school district, said Kelli Trapani, a city spokeswoman.
It’s not the first one for 19Six Architects, however, which is currently building a similar project in Soledad, Ullman said.
The complex will not affect Chuckwagon Park, which was deeded to the city by the district in 2019, Ullman said.
“This will provide a new group of users for the park,” Ullman said.
The project aims to help address the so-called “missing middle” of workers who do not qualify for homeless housing but don’t make enough to afford market-rate apartments amid the state’s housing crisis.
About 88% of students in the district are socioeconomically disadvantaged, according to state data.
Educator salaries vary widely throughout the district, depending on classification and experience, ranging from about $34,000 a year to more than $100,000, according to a district salary schedule.
Sacramento residents can qualify for other types of income-restricted affordable housing if they make up to $72,050, which is currently the 80% area median income for the area.
The South Natomas project requires approval from the City Council, which will likely consider it in 2026, Trapani said
It’s unknown when construction will start, but it will be as soon as possible, Ullman said.
