Ami Sandler, an anatomy and physiology teacher at A.B. Miller High School in Fontana, didn’t think he could possibly afford to buy his own home before turning 40. To his amazement, he purchased one at age 25.
“Most of my friends rent, but I own,” says Sandler, a member of Fontana Teachers Association.
“It’s a single-family home with an attached garage. I love it. I’m getting married, and owning a home takes a tremendous burden off my shoulders.”
The need for housing programs nationwide is growing since an estimated 500,000 teachers across the country leave the profession every year. One of the biggest reasons cited is the inability to purchase or even rent affordable housing.
Sandler became a homeowner in 2003, thanks to the first-time home buyer program sponsored by CTA and First Financial Credit Union.
The program includes lower monthly payments, a special program for first-time home buyers who teach or work in high priority schools, and many other benefits to assist teachers looking to own their own homes.
Also available are state and federal programs such as CalSTRS, which has a home loan program that provides teachers low-cost loans with zero down, with mortgage loans available up to $650,000.
According to a Forbes online article (July 2007) four out of 10 places listed as the “least affordable housing locations in the U.S.” are in California. The top three cities on the list are Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. In sixth place nationwide is Sacramento. Even with the current real-estate slump, California has some of the least affordable housing for teachers, notes the report.
When teachers and school employees are able to live in the communities where they teach, it strengthens the entire fabric of the community.
And with a 200,000 teacher shortage looming in California, helping teachers find affordable housing takes on a new urgency.
More details of the first-time home buyer program — along with other local, state and federal programs designed to help school employees find affordable housing — can be viewed in an expanded article by clicking here.