CCSD supports bill allowing affordable housing for educators to be built on district land

By Kim Passoth

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    LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — Should CCSD step into the role of landlord and build housing for teachers? Monday, they made the argument for educator workforce housing during a hearing on a new state bill.

“For educators in particular who already deal with imminence challenges by virtue of the job that you are doing, it is important that we are creative, that we continue to make Nevada a competitive draw for educators,” argued CCSD Director of Government Relations Patricia Haddad. Haddad testified to the Senate Committee on Education about the shortage of affordable housing in both urban and rural communities and the district’s desire to create more.

“Essentially CCSD owns parcels of land not suitable for building a school either based on the size of the land or how the development has occurred in the area around it,” Haddad explained.

“You are saying it has existed in other places, but it hasn’t existed in Clark County,” questioned State Senator Dina Neal during the hearing.

Haddad responded there’s already teacher housing in remote areas of the state. In Gerlach, 100 miles outside Reno, Washoe County Schools rehabbed six modular homes in 2018. CCSD wants clarification on the current law.

“We are not proposing to add any additional permissions, just clarify, explicitly clarify the right that already exists,” Haddad stated.

Neal, who represents Clark County, questioned if the district should step into the role of landlord.

“Who is going to maintain this right? What would happen if there is a liability inside of it? What would happen if there is a construction defect?… What would happen if there is harm inside of this? Who is then responsible?” Neal questioned.

At a budget presentation at Chaparral High School Monday night, CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara reiterated the importance of recruitment and retention.

“Obviously, teacher recruitment, employee recruitment, that is one of my priorities,” Dr. Jara asserted.

There is a second component of the bill CCSD is pushing. They want fees for educator licenses to be capped at $50 for both the initial license and renewal. Right now, new teachers pay $180 for their initial license, and returning educators pay $150 for their renewal.

CCSD will continue its conversations with the community this week to discuss budget priorities for the next school year.

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