Wake County leaders discussed several education-related issues during a joint meeting Wednesday between the Wake County Board of Commissioners and Wake County Board of Education, including a proposal aimed at expanding affordable housing options for educators.
"What we are proposing here is that land that is owned by Wake County would be transferred to the ownership of the school system, and in return they would give us parcels that add up to an equivalent value. We would take ownership of that land and then leverage that through a competitive process to develop that into affordable housing," said Mark Perlman, deputy director of Wake County Housing Affordability and Revitalization.
County officials identified unused property at five school sites during the presentation.
"When you don't have an incredibly long commute or you are not spending 50% of your income just on your housing cost, that allows you to be more present and focused on the work that you're doing day to day," Perlman said.
The proposal still faces several hurdles. The county cannot prioritize affordable housing exclusively for school district employees without action from the North Carolina General Assembly. Don Mial, Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, said they have not yet spoken with state lawmakers about such a proposal.
"This is a team approach in terms of what we're doing, making sure that everybody is engaged and involved because housing is still one of the top issues," said Mial.
Perlman argued that investing in affordable housing provides longer-term benefits.
"The amount of money that you would need to pay each individual person, extrapolate that across a workforce, the amount of money that you would spend over the 30 years that an affordable housing development would remain affordable, it becomes a more efficient use of public resources to invest in creating that housing," he said.
In a statement, officials said: "If the Board of Commissioners and Board of Education support moving forward, several steps would be required before any properties could be declared surplus or included in a land swap. Not all identified properties may ultimately be included."
The district said the bond proposal would help fund at least three new schools and help make repairs to existing ones.
Another topic discussed during the meeting was a proposed $680 million school bond that Wake County voters will consider in November.
Mial said strong schools are important to the county's economic growth and its ability to attract new businesses.
"Companies, when they move here, the first thing they want to know is what is your school system like? Because a new employee coming in, they're not going to want to bring their kids into a school system that's not up to par. Education is still a game changer for many of our kids as they grow and mature," said Mial.
District officials said the funding would primarily support infrastructure needs, including construction of new schools and repairs to existing facilities. The district said the bond proposal would help fund at least three new schools, including one on Poole Road in Knightdale.
The referendum also would fund improvements to existing buildings, including upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Parent Madana Marshall said she supports the measure.
"Let's give the schools what they need to make sure our children learn," Marshall said. "I'm definitely for it. I'm definitely for anything that generates the funds to ensure our children have a comfortable space to learn."
If approved, the measure would result in a tax increase of half a penny for most county residents, according to the district.
Supporters of the proposal say the investments would address long-standing facility needs across the school system.
"Historically, bond referendums have passed in Wake County because voters here care about education and per voter, it's a huge return on investment," said Anna Grant, president of Wake NCAE.
Facility improvements remain a priority for many parents and educators.
"I definitely think it needs to go to facilities. I've seen in my daughter's school the need for HVAC improvements," Marshall said.
Grant pointed to building maintenance issues that can affect students' learning environments.
"If the pipes burst and you have to go to the other side of the building to use the bathroom, if you are trying to concentrate and learn in a classroom, that's over 85 degrees," Grant said.
District officials also said some bond funding could be used for technology upgrades. Some parents said they would like to see part of the funding used to hire more teachers.