What you need to know about efforts to create affordable housing for early childhood educators

If you’re an early childhood educator, you might be eligible to purchase an affordable home.

Since October, local groups like the Community Development Alliance, Acts Housing and Habitat for Humanity have partnered to create homes for early childhood educators. Herb Kohl Philanthropies announced a $1 million gift to help fund the development of more.

“One of our mantras every day is ‘we love teachers,’ ” said JoAnne Anton, the foundation’s president, at an April 30 event at Malaika Early Learning Center in the Harambee neighborhood. “That includes early childhood educators. Unfortunately, the early childhood education sector is struggling.”

How it works

The three-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot homes are part of a 42-home development being built around five early childhood education centers.

The homes are exclusively for early childhood educators and will be sold for approximately $100,000 each...

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Leo’s notes: Solving multiple issues at once! By linking homeownership to early childhood educators, this partnership not only addresses our housing crisis but affirms the essential value of the people who help shape our youngest learners. Affordable homes for educators mean stronger families, better outcomes for children, and more stable communities.