Pacifica's first-ever workforce housing development is well underway on Oddstad Boulevard, where the ground floors of 45 housing units designated for Pacifica School District teachers have just been erected.
The construction at the former district-owned Oddstad Elementary School property marks the beginning of a project that has been in the works for 10 years. District leaders hope the development will attract and retain district teachers in need of local housing.
The current design plan includes the residential development, a property management office, a common building and public restroom and changing facilities for those utilizing the recreational field. The units will be available to district teachers and staff, including certificated and classified employees who will go through an application process and be selected based on "prioritization" and "eligibility."
A large sign displaying the name of the general contractor for the job, James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation, hangs on the fence that wraps around the roughly 12-acre lot. The company was chosen after trustees rejected the original bids, citing finance concerns, which delayed the project further. Obayashi Corp. is now under a $39.3 million contract running from May 2026 through August 2027, when the units are expected to be ready for occupancy.
In December 2024, trustees voted to approve the project in one 70-unit phase to achieve an economy of scale. Brookwood Advisors, the project's consultant, estimated building all units at once would save $158,000 per unit, costing roughly $782,000 per unit instead of the projected $940,000 per unit to build the housing in two phases. That changed in January, when the board reversed course, citing financial concerns. Trustees instead approved construction of only 45 units, stating that building all 70 units in phase one would far exceed the project's $55 million budget.
Pacifica City Council, which, combined with the Pacifica Planning Commission, has approved a host of permits for the project dating back to 2023, approved the final map and subdivision improvement agreement for the full 70 units this week. Brookwood reported in late August that "Building and Fire review components have progressed substantially, while the project team continues to address remaining Planning and Engineering comments," according to a PSD Board of Trustees report.
The group reported that "while several Planning, Engineering, mapping, and administrative items remain to be completed, the District and Brookwood Group continue to work toward resolving these requirements and positioning the project for its next major phase."
The first 45 units will also include all 11 of the below-market-rate units envisioned for the project. Those rental units will be available to Pacifica School District employees at 60% to 70% of market rate, with options for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is expected to be roughly $2,240 per month, while a three-bedroom townhome is projected to be around $3,360. It is not clear if or when the second phase, with the remaining 25 units, will be initiated.
The project is being financed through a mix of roughly $43 million in voter-approved public funding from Measure G, alongside private certificates of participation. In January 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a spending bill that included $2 million for the project as one of Rep. Sam Liccardo's Community Project Funding requests. The Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County also contributed $697,991 for predevelopment of the project.
At a time when the district is facing controversy over its budgetary decisions, which have come under scrutiny after a concerning state review, some community members have questioned the district's ability to manage a project that has grown substantially in cost over time. In 2017, when financing the project was first analyzed by Brookwood Advisors, it was estimated to cost just over $21 million. That number has since grown roughly 2.5 times.
Still, district leaders have touted the project as a critical means to meet the needs of local teachers, who in Pacifica are among the most underpaid in the entire county.
"Many Pacifica educators and staff currently pay more than 30% of their gross income on housing, making them 'rent-burdened,'" the district states on its workforce housing website. "High housing costs negatively impact recruitment, retention and staff stability. Providing affordable housing helps improve work-life balance, reduce turnover and ensure continuity for students."
PSD hopes to be the solution to this problem when—if construction remains on track—45 educators will have a new, affordable place to live in one year's time.
