Lompoc Unified School District

Our staff is an invaluable resource, and housing is a major recruitment and retention barrier for incoming and existing staff. In the spring 2024 survey of LUSD employees, 81% of the 532 LUSD respondents agreed that “The high cost of housing negatively impacts the district’s ability to retain and recruit  employees.” The need for affordable housing in general, and for district employees, is an increasing need across the State. New state legislation reduces planning and zoning barriers for school districts to develop employee housing. This has spurred even more public school districts to pursue employee housing. We believe that this investment is necessary for our staff, students, families, and our community. 

A public-private partnership. We will rely on public-private partnerships to develop, maintain, and run LUSD employee housing. We had the chance to visit several other public school district employee housing projects, and we’ve been inspired by the quality of the housing, the positive impact on recruitment and retention and the community. We’ve also had a chance to see how other districts have financed their employee housing projects, most commonly with the use of a General Obligation bond and Certificates of Participation. The District wishes to use a public-private partnerships to fund our project.  Currently there is no intention to use any bond or general funds. 

Yes. We understand that tenant satisfaction is essential in any housing development to sustain long-term viability. This is particularly important with employee housing because the District has an ongoing relationship with its employees, and dissatisfaction could affect staff morale. We are continuing to explore available avenues to offer LUSD employees quality housing at below-market rates.

During the discovery phase, the District visited employee housing projects in other school districts in Northern and Southern California, all of which were high quality. These visits helped inform the District’s understanding of what is possible. If this initiative moves forward, the District’s intention would be to support the development of high-quality housing for LUSD employees that is consistent with the quality and character of the surrounding community and reflects the District’s commitment to being a good neighbor.

Developing employee housing is a long-term endeavor that involves future District decisions, potential regulatory review, and partnership agreements. At this time, no timeline has been established for when housing would become available.

Acknowledging the range of needs identified by staff in the survey in spring 2024, we anticipate offering a variety of housing options (e.g., studios, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units). We will be soliciting more information from staff in another survey in late spring 2025.

We will be seeking input from staff about amenities through a staff survey in late spring 2025. Once we have a compiled list, we will share staff input with the developer. Some interior amenities we have seen at other employee housing projects include:  various community spaces, laundry facilities, child-friendly areas, and storage spaces.  Exterior amenities we have seen at other employee housing projects include:  walking paths, BBQ areas, playgrounds, and areas for dogs.

The District’s intent is to make workforce housing opportunities available to all LUSD employees, both classified and certificated. Because demand may exceed the number of available units, eligibility and tenant selection criteria would be developed in the future by a third-party housing partner, not by the District, through a transparent process.

We are committed to providing below-market housing for LUSD employees. At this time, we do not have information about the cost. This will come later in the process. 

The District has identified the 4010 Jupiter Avenue property as one location that may warrant further consideration based on preliminary feasibility work. The district is now exploring next steps to determine whether and how to move forward with this location. Other district-owned sites may also be evaluated as part of this process. No final decision has been made regarding site selection.

LUSD partnered with the Regional Economic Action Coalition (REACH) to guide the process. Through a competitive selection, RRM Design Group was chosen to complete the feasability study for its expertise in housing design, legislation, and public engagement.

The studies conducted by RRM Design Group found that building a workforce housing community of approximately 150 to 200 units on the Jupiter Avenue site is highly feasible and promising.

The analysis included:

• A market study confirming strong demand for affordable employee housing.
• Preliminary environmental and traffic assessments showed no major barriers; any future project may be subject to further analysis. 
• Reviews of biological and cultural resources confirming site suitability.
• A site-planning evaluation identifying layout options that would fit well with the neighborhood.

Overall, the findings support moving forward with the next steps in planning and community engagement. 

Yes. We are focused on development of employee housing that is safe, high-quality, and below market. In the spring 2024 LUSD Employee Housing Survey, staff identified safety as a high priority for employee housing. We agree. We will do everything we can to ensure that safety is central to the housing project. 

New state laws such as AB 2295, AB 1021, and AB 130 streamline the development of multi-family housing on school-owned property and simplify environmental review, making projects like this more achievable for districts across California.

Supporting Maple High School students and staff remains one of our highest priorities. While the Jupiter Avenue site is being considered for the Workforce Housing project, no final decisions have been made about relocation.

If the project moves forward, the district is exploring several options to ensure Maple continues to thrive in a safe, supportive, and well-equipped learning environment. One option under consideration includes the use of classroom space at Allan Hancock College’s Lompoc campus, which could create exciting opportunities for Maple students to access college resources and courses.

LUSD is committed to engaging with Maple staff, students, and families throughout this process. Their voices, needs, and ideas will guide every step as plans continue to develop.

This is false. The Teacher Housing Act of 2016 and its amendments promote teacher housing, giving school districts authority to create rental housing for teachers and staff.

The Teacher Housing Act led to subsequent bills, such as AB (Assembly Bill) 2295 (Government Code § 65914.7), passed in 2022, as subsequently amended by AB 1021, passed in 2025. These laws intend to tackle the workforce housing challenges faced throughout the state and create a pathway for LEAs (Local Educational Agencies) to build affordable housing for teachers and school staff on LEA land.

Under AB 2295/AB 1021, homes must be rented following a strict priority order:

● First to the employees of the school district in the immediate area (Lompoc Unified School District)

● Then to employees from other LEAs

● Then to local public agency employees (e.g., city, county, first responders, certain healthcare workers)

● Only if units remain, then other qualified members of the public who meet all income and eligibility criteria.

Anytime housing becomes available, the process would start over at step one, meaning LUSD employees would always receive first priority.

This project would not create open unrestricted housing; it is designed to support the public workforce, especially educators.

When jobs are offered in and around Lompoc, often potential employees with local organizations, such as LUSD, struggle to find affordable housing that meet their needs. The recently issued RFP (Request for Proposals) does include the possibility of a portion, less than half, of the development being housing available to the general public at market rates. This is to assist in the financing of the project, if necessary. Through the RFP process, the District seeks to partner with a developer who can propose approaches aligned with the District’s objectives of ensuring that LUSD employees receive priority to rent at least 100 of the homes.

The District is pursuing workforce housing, not traditional low-income or Section 8 housing. The project will need to include affordable homes for LUSD

employees, who are moderate-and lower-income working professionals. These working professionals in LUSD include but are not limited to, teachers, bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, administrative assistants, and paraeducators (teacher aides), all of whom work on behalf of our community’s children every day.

Under AB 2295/AB 1021, at least 50% of the homes (excluding any density bonus homes) must be affordable to either:

● Lower-income households (at least 30%) and moderate-income households (at least 20%); or

● Very low-income households (at least 12%), lower-income households (at least 15%), and moderate-income households (at least 20%).

This affordability structure is intended to ensure housing access for essential school staff and public employees, whose wages often fall within these income bands. It is not a public housing project — it is a strategic effort to retain and attract a strong local school district workforce, thereby contributing to the well-being of the community.

Santa Barbara County AMI Income Limits- FY 2025

The following table shows the maximum annual household income a household can earn to qualify for income-restricted housing programs in Santa Barbara County for FY 2025, based on both household size and percentage of Area Median Income (AMI). AMI is the midpoint income for the county. Housing programs use percentages of AMI to define who qualifies.

The District-owned property at 4010 Jupiter that is under consideration for the workforce housing project has not operated as an elementary school since 1989–over 36 years ago.  There are no plans nor is there a demonstrated need to reinstate this site as an elementary school. Two elementary schools, Buena Vista and Los Berros, are accessible to families residing in Vandenberg Village.  Additionally, if interested, parents have the option to request that their child(ren) attend a school outside of their attendance area. Education Code requirements and the availability of school/classroom space are essential to this unbiased process.  Students are never displaced from their attendance area school.  The application and instructions to attend a school outside the attendance area are located on our website at transfer requests.

4010 Jupiter is the current home of Maple High School, a continuation high school for approximately 150 students, which would be relocated if the housing is built.  While LUSD acknowledges that relocating a school does not come without its challenges. any such move will be discussed and analyzed carefully and publicly, with a focus on the best educational outcome for our students.

According to research from the Public Policy Institute of California, a large majority of districts are experiencing declining enrollment.  Approximately 70-75% of districts have seen declines over multiple years, and about three-quarters of California school districts have seen enrollment drop since the onset of the pandemic.  Many districts throughout the state are in enrollment decline so significant that difficult decisions to close schools are being made.  With declining birth rates and the rising cost of living causing people to leave California. LUSD is in the same situation as most school districts in the state, with declining enrollment, though the level of decline varies by district.  Current enrollment projections in LUSD indicate a decline of approximately 160 students (1.85%) over the next two years.  In the years following 2028 it is anticipated that enrollment in LUSD will level.  There are no demographic predictions indicating any steep increases in enrollment, even with new housing developments in the Lompoc area.

If AB 2295/AB 1021 is used, then it would allow for building of workforce housing for staff on District-owned land without requiring zoning changes. This is consistent with what the state intended: to reduce barriers for schools to support their employees.

LUSD has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a design–build–finance–operate partnership.  Developers will be selected based on alignment with the District’s educational values.  One example of a potential partnership model is a public-private partnership (Government Code sections 5956, et seq), which is a long-term contractual arrangement in which a public agency partners with a private entity to finance, design, build, operate, and/or maintain a facility.  Instead of doing everything in-house, the agency leverages private-sector expertise and capital.  However, there are a variety of other potential lawful delivery methods that would allow a development team to finance and develop a workforce housing project, including, but not limited to: Education Code sections 17515, et seq., which would enable the District to lease property to any private entity if the lease requires the lessee to construct on the premises a building for the joint use of the District and lessee; and, Education Code sections 17455, et seq., which generally allow the District to lease its real property to a private entity, subject to specific requirements.  LUSD’s RFP invites a range of delivery and ownership structures, giving development teams the flexibility to propose approaches that align with the District’s objectives.

There is no evidence that educator workforce housing negatively affects property values or safety.  In fact, these projects tend to strengthen neighborhoods by supporting stable staffing for local schools and services.  When the education workforce is strong, students benefit, thereby impacting property values positively.  HERE IS A RECENT STUDY that discusses nine educator workforce housing projects throughout the state, and includes positive outcomes.  Further, LUSD will require that any housing on its property is of high quality, is well planned and attractive, and is well maintained.

Unlike some California school districts, LUSD is not proposing to tax its residents to pay for workforce housing.  LUSD intends to use state grants, a design–build–finance–operate partnership model (discussed above), and/or low-interest financing tools available under new laws.  There will be no new local taxes tied to the project.  There has been minimal District expenditure on studying the potential for a workforce housing project thus far, and no Measure M dollars have been spent or are committed to the project.  LUSD budgets, audits, and expenditures are available publicly via board meeting agendas.

Documents related to LUSD finances over the last decade may be viewed on the District's website at LUSD Budget.

The District will ensure that any necessary CEQA review takes place, if and when required. 

At this time, there is no specific project designed or proposed, and the District has not taken any action to commit itself to a particular project.  Environmental review cannot be conducted so early that it prevents exploration of potentially good projects. 

Studies to assess the feasibility of possible future actions do not require CEQA review.  Similarly, collection of data, research, and resource evaluation are exempt from CEQA.   

Additionally, certain CEQA exemptions may apply to a future workforce housing project, meaning that further CEQA review may not be required.  On June 30, 2025, Assembly Bill 130 (AB 130) was signed by Governor Newsom and took effect immediately.  The bill amended the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to add new statutory exemptions for certain categories of projects, including qualifying housing developments. Specifically, AB 130 added Public Resources Code section 21080.66, which establishes a statutory CEQA exemption for qualifying housing development projects that are 20 acres or less in size and that meet various specific criteria.  This exemption or others could potentially be available to exempt a project from further review under CEQA.  However, regardless of CEQA, the District will continue to keep its process transparent and public.