Facing a severe housing crunch for its teachers – many of whom endure long commutes – DeSoto County Schools has given the green light to a Sarasota-based developer to build workforce apartments for educators on school-owned property.
Following months of discussions and a public workshop supported by Superintendent Bobby Bennett, the DeSoto school board has authorized Bennett to begin collaborating with One Stop Housing on a site plan and zoning changes for the project.
The proposal calls for up to 80 apartments on a 6-acre parcel of land owned by the school district near Nocatee Elementary School, about five miles south of Arcadia. All of the workforce units will be set aside for teachers and other school staff who fall between 60% and 80% of Area Median Income, or AMI, which is One Stop’s specialty. Rents likely will run roughly $750 to $1,400 a month, including utilities…