Lockhart ISD looks to housing to keep teachers

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor                             

     As Lockhart Independent School District continues to grow, district leaders are getting creative about how to attract and keep teachers in the area. One idea to gain traction is helping teachers live in the same community where they work.

      Lockhart ISD has partnered with Red Oak Development Group to launch TEACH, Teachers’ help local educators become homeowners by offering financial assistance toward the purchase of a new home.

     Under the program, Red Oak sets aside a select number of home sites in its developments and passes along 100% of the company’s profit from the sale of that land as credit for teachers.

      “In each community, Red Oak sets aside a select number of home sites and passes through 100% of our profits from the sale of that land as a credit for teachers to apply toward the purchase price of a new home,” the company states on its website. “The TEACH credit is applied during the home closing process, reducing the financial burden and making homeownership attainable for teachers.”

      Red Oak CEO Tom Staub said the goal is to see dozens of teachers move into the new neighborhood once it’s completed.

      “When you look at the $1.5 million, we are providing for down payments and housing assistance, it is ultimately up to the ISD to decide what the right amount is,” Staub said. “Our belief is that it should be anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 per teacher, so easy math tells you that’s anywhere from 40 to 60 teachers that could live in this community.”

     The homes will be located in Moxie, a 589-acre master-planned development currently under construction, less than three miles from historic downtown Lockhart and about 40 minutes from Austin.

     Once completed, Moxie will include homes, schools, and miles of trails designed to create a walkable, connected community.

     “At full build out, we will have more than 20 miles of trails,10 of which are sidewalks, 10 of which are not, and two school sites that we dedicated to the ISD,” Staub said.

      Construction of a new middle school at the site is expected to begin in January, with additional space reserved for a future elementary school.

     The effort comes as housing costs across Central Texas continue to rise, forcing many educators to commute long distances to work.

      “In Lockhart ISD, the vast majority of our teachers commute to work each day,” said Superintendent Mark Estrada. “Over 75% of them do not live in our district boundaries.”

     Estrada said the partnership is about more than convenience; it’s about retention.

     “We really wish we could just pay teachers enough so that they can afford to buy a house in Central Texas,” Estrada said. “The reality is the state funding does not provide enough funding so that teachers, without some kind of creative thinking, can afford homeownership.”

      Home prices in the development are expected to range from about $200,000 to $1 million, offering a variety of options for different budgets.  While the TEACH program is primarily aimed at educators, Staub said first responders could also benefit if funds remain available.

    “In our agreement with TEACH, which is primarily for teachers, if there are leftover funds, we have the option to apply them to public safety workers,” Staub said. “I think it’s a great way to not only bring teachers into the community, but also others who truly make up the backbone of our towns.”

    Red Oak plans to build about 400 home sites over the next three to four years, with eight to 12 different home types available once the development is fully built out.