Manatee survey says most teachers want affordable housing. Will district provide it?

A survey showed that Manatee County’s high housing prices have most school teachers looking for an affordable place to live.

The survey — which drew 280 responses, mostly from teachers and other School District of Manatee County employees — found that the vast majority of workers would be open to the idea of living in an affordable apartment complex built for district employees.

According to the survey results reviewed by the Bradenton Herald, 67% said they would live in the complex and another 20% said they would consider the idea.

“We’re still at the beginning stages,” district spokesman Mike Barber told the Bradenton Herald. “But to get this feedback was really helpful in terms of finding out that there was interest — from especially teachers — in having opportunities like this available to them.”

Developer offers to build affordable housing for teachers

The Manatee County School Board is still weighing a developer’s plan to build 132 apartments for district employees on five acres of district-owned land in Bradenton.

One Stop Housing offered to build two four-story buildings with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments at 2501 63rd Ave. E., next to the district’s Professional Support Center.

The apartments are expected to cost no more than 30% of a teacher’s monthly salary, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.

The starting teacher pay is $59,239 and teachers could expect to pay about $1,480 in monthly rent at an affordable apartment complex.

Manatee County voters renewed the district’s 1-mill property tax in November, which will give the district another $75 million this school year. About half of those funds are used to keep teacher pay competitive in Manatee County.

The average rent for apartments and condos in Bradenton is $1,972, according to Zillow.