Richard Barrera, a long-serving member of the San Diego Unified Board of Education, has been appointed as a senior policy advisor by State Superintendent of Education Tony Thurmond. Barrera will be working on special projects for the California Department of Education while maintaining his role on the board.
One of the key projects Barrera will be working on is accelerating the development of housing on district-owned land. San Diego Unified has already prioritized workforce housing in a bond measure approved by voters in 2022, and Barrera aims to encourage more districts across the state to take advantage of this opportunity. A study has found that California school districts own about 75,000 acres of land that could potentially be developed, resulting in the creation of millions of housing units.
One challenge Barrera will be tackling is changing current state law to allow school districts to spend bond money on housing for families, not just workforce housing. He sees this as an exciting opportunity to collaborate with districts and stakeholders across the state to advance big ideas.
Thurmond expressed his desire to pursue ambitious initiatives, and Barrera is poised to make a significant impact in his new role as a senior policy advisor. With his wealth of experience and expertise, Barrera is well-positioned to lead projects that will have a positive impact on the education system and housing development in California.
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Photo credit voiceofsandiego.org