Teachers can’t do their job while struggling with housing costs.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools unveiled At Home in CMS, a $30 million initiative to alleviate the issue. The program’s goal is to lower the cost of housing through partnerships that make rent affordable, down payment assistance and eventually a village of housing options for teachers.

“When the district surveyed our teachers, 93% said they are most concerned about housing costs, and another 61% said housing may impact whether or not they continue to work with the CMS,” school board Chair Stephanie Sneed said. “That's why we’re using every available resource to ensure our teachers have a place to call home in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.”

According to real estate website Zillow, the average home in Mecklenburg County costs between $417,500-$459,000. As of November, the average rent is $1,454 a month. The average teacher salary is $47,437 which equates to $3,953 gross income.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Crystal Hill said the initiative is the first of its kind to help educators establish roots in the district rather than live in surrounding counties.

“We ask educators to call Charlotte home,” she said. “In turn, we now commit to helping find a home of their own. This will be a multi-year commitment, and it will serve educators in every phase of their lives, whether they're looking to rent an apartment, move into a town home, or put down a down payment towards a single-family home. At Home in CMS allows teachers to find that option that works for them.”

Hill said the start to ensuring CMS students receive quality education is by showing teachers they are valued.

Genita Nashville, a teacher at Northridge Middle School, said At Home in CMS gives her hope for the future and as Charlotte native excites her for the district’s future.

“I always knew that someday I wanted to give back to my community,” said Nashville, a Vance High School graduate who became a teacher last through the district’s teacher residency program. “…This work is incredibly rewarding, and I love building relationships with my students and being able to come to see them bloom in this classroom, watching how they grow over the course of the year.”

While Nashville feels that the CMS teaching community is strong, she recognizes the housing issue through personal experience.

“We have a strong educated community here,” Nashville said, “but that community has faced some real challenges and securing financial stability and stable housing. As a Charlotte native, it is simply amazing to see how our community has grown to a big, vibrant city, but the housing prices have always been challenging, making it tough for teachers like me to secure adequate housing.

“Down payments and mortgages are impossible. Rents are steep. Student loan debt weighs on us. Some of my colleagues have even faced eviction, including myself. I’ve seen friends and colleagues move out of the district to find affordable places to live, and this turnover isn't just a staff problem, it's a loss for the whole community.”

Nancy Brightwell, the school district’s chief of recruitment, retention and talent development, explained that phase one of the initiative will focus on housing for high-need teachers. Phase two will focus on home ownership and financial preparedness. The final phase will be the launch of an educator community.

CMS has already confirmed partnerships with housing developers Ascent, Laurel Street and Dream Key to help with the initiative.

“Our housing initiative builds on the comprehensive recruitment and retention strategies we put in place to respond to the needs our educators have expressed,” Brightwell said. “We’ve heard you and we’re acting on what you shared because we care about and we value the commitment that you make to our schools every single day and to our community when educators commit to teaching in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, we honor their commitment and their choice to guide through guiding, mentoring and supporting them throughout their professional journey.”