The goal of the partnership is to create affordable housing for Caroline teachers and first responders

Caroline County teachers and first responders may soon be able to afford a home in the county thanks to a program designed to make purchasing one easier.

The county Board of Supervisors recently heard from organizers of the Teach, Respond and Thrive Housing Initiative.

“If you are a teacher or a first responder, we want to help you live in the county you work in and serve,” said Jason Tickle, president and CEO of Habitat of Caroline, one of the community partners involved in the initiative.

Tickle was joined by Sarah Calveric, superintendent of Caroline County Public Schools, and Erica Dutcher, who works in program relations with Central Virginia Housing.

The trio told supervisors that the program had the potential to help the district recruit and retain quality educators.

“I hope that what you see is the power of the partnership, that what you hear is a reflection of the Board’s initial and ongoing investment in Habitat for Humanity, and that once you are fully informed, you will “We feel the anticipation of what’s to come for the Caroline community and especially our CCPS educators,” Calveric said.

Dutcher said Central Virginia Housing currently manages 65 below-market rental units and is acquiring Angelwood at Caroline, an affordable housing development in Bowling Green. Dutcher said that by next year, Central Virginia Housing, which serves the Fredericksburg area, will own 112 properties in Caroline “that we can make available to this community.”

Dutcher noted that teachers and first responders can rent from Central Virginia Housing for two years, giving them the rental and salary history they need to build a home with Habitat of Caroline.

Dutcher said there will be a revolving door of educators and first responders transitioning into home ownership, opening up the rental properties to newcomers to the program.

“We will have a constant rotation of available and affordable housing for these employees,” Dutcher said.

The presentation noted the county’s difficulties in retaining qualified educators and first responders and attracting new talent. School officials believe one of the factors contributing to this problem is the lack of affordable housing options in the county.

According to the slideshow presented to supervisors, difficulty obtaining housing that matches salaries is a problem, as are longer commute times, which in turn lead to lower job satisfaction. Another problem is that potential applicants are deterred by the housing shortage.

Dutcher said housing teachers and first responders impacts the quality of education for the county’s youth and the level of care available to residents. She said the lack of affordable housing creates barriers to retaining and hiring employees and hurts the county’s tax base.

“Where you live is where you spend your money,” Dutcher said. “So if our educators and first responders live outside of the region, they’re not spending their money in Caroline County.”

The superiors were not obliged to influence the presentation. However, they expressed their continued support for the Habitat of Caroline program. Chief executive Jeff Black of the Western Caroline District said he was looking forward to the construction of 20 homes in the Bridlewood area of ​​Ladysmith Road soon.

Mattaponi District Manager Floyd Thomas expressed interest in attending Central Virginia Housing’s Beautification Day in Angelwood on Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Dutcher said the agency’s entire staff will participate.