One of the greatest challenges for our employees is the high cost of housing in the Bay Area. The SMUHSD Board of Trustees directed staff to explore opportunities for staff housing, develop a process to receive community input and deploy a comprehensive communications campaign to ensure that community members are informed of the District’s progress.

Through this initiative, we aim to continue to attract and retain the highest quality teachers and staff. We view affordable housing as being necessary for a good quality of life, and we are uniquely positioned to face this challenge head on.

In the summer of 2021, the District requested proposals from licensed real estate brokerage entities or individuals to assist with locating, analyzing, and negotiating the District’s potential acquisition of developed real property suitable for use as high-quality educator and workforce rental housing. Responses were evaluated and qualified firms were interviewed. The Board selected DCG Strategies to undertake this important work.

Update -

SMUHSD Board of Trustees Approves Purchase and Sale Agreement with SummerHill Homes - Sale of Crestmoor Property Will Provide Revenue for Workforce Housing

The San Mateo Union High School District is pleased to announce that its Board of Trustees voted unanimously on December 9 to enter into a purchase agreement with SummerHill Homes for the sale of the Crestmoor Property located at 300 Piedmont Avenue in San Bruno. The District had previously been under contract to sell the property to D.R. Horton, but that developer decided not to pursue the project, and ended its agreement with the District on July 23, 2021.

SummerHill Homes is a privately owned home builder focusing on the unique housing needs of the Bay Area. Since its inception in 1976, SummerHill has been renowned for developing specialized communities in established residential settings throughout the Bay Area, including San Bruno. SummerHill’s experience in San Bruno includes developing the Marisol, Merimont, and Skyline Ridge communities consisting of 225 single family homes over the last 20 years.

The Crestmoor Property is a 40 acre parcel with approximately 25+/- acres of developable land. The property is zoned for low-density residential development which permits 2.1 to 8 units per acre of land.   

The District’s Board committed to the sale of the Crestmoor Property with the express intent of generating sufficient funds to provide affordable workforce housing to the District’s employees. This includes housing for the District’s valued staff, and has the potential to provide workforce housing for other educational and public agencies in the area. This employee housing will be acquired or constructed at another location to be selected. 

Robert Freed, Chief Executive Officer, SummerHill Homes said, “SummerHill Homes prides itself in developing ‘Communities of Distinction’ and we commit to working collaboratively with the San Bruno community on the development of this property. We are very excited to have the opportunity to work in the City of San Bruno again.”

Robert Griffin, President of the SMUHSD Board of Trustees said,  “We know that the high cost of housing in the Bay Area impacts our ability to retain our highly qualified staff. The District is so pleased to seize this opportunity to generate the funding to provide housing for our staff, but also additional housing and property tax funds for the City of San Bruno and surrounding school districts." 

Stay tuned for updates. If you have any question or if you wish to become a part of our housing network (and receive updates and information on Board decisions and public meetings) please email Laura Chalkley. Learn more by visiting the Crestmoor webpage.