SOLEDAD, Calif. — Soledad Unified School District will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Santa Lucia Apartments, its new workforce housing community, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at 183 Soledad Street in downtown Soledad. The public is invited. 

The 20-unit apartment building was constructed exclusively for District employees and funded by Measure N, the bond approved by Soledad voters in November 2020. Located within walking distance of District schools, it is among the first school-district-built employee housing projects in Monterey County. The District pursued the project to help recruit and keep teachers and classified staff in a region where housing scarcity has pushed employees into long commutes from outside the city. 

The Project 

A two-story building of roughly 23,000 square feet on a 0.69-acre site at the corner of Monterey Street and Soledad Street in downtown Soledad. 

20 apartments 

• 12 one-bedroom units of approximately 650 square feet 

• 8 two-bedroom units of approximately 1,000 square feet 

• Nine units on the first floor, eleven on the second 

• Two ground-floor units built with full mobility features 

Amenities 

• Residents' lounge 

• Conference and library room 

• Dedicated bicycle storage 

• Exterior concrete courtyard with surrounding landscaping 

• Private balconies 

• On-site parking beneath a solar carport structure 

• Secured vehicle and pedestrian gates 

Funding 

The community is funded by Measure N, the general obligation bond approved by Soledad Unified School District voters on November 3, 2020 with more than 60 percent support. Measure N authorized up to $13.75 million in bonds for teacher and staff rental housing and for student technology. 

Project Team 

Owner: Soledad Unified School District 

Development Partner: Education Housing Partners 

Architect: 19six Architects, Santa Cruz 

General Contractor: Ausonio Inc. 

Education Housing Partners developed California's first school-district employee housing community, Casa del Maestro for Santa Clara Unified, and has since partnered on district housing across the state. Throughout construction, the District, Ausonio, 19six Architects, and Education Housing Partners met weekly to coordinate progress, review materials, and finalize finishes. 

Background 

• November 3, 2020 — Soledad voters approve Measure N, authorizing the District to build rental housing for its own teachers and staff. 

• October 23, 2024 — The Soledad City Council approves an affordable housing agreement with the District for the project. 

• April 7, 2025 — The building permit is approved and construction drawings are issued. 

• May 9, 2025 — The District breaks ground at the site. 

• October 27, 2026 — Grand opening and ribbon-cutting. 

About Soledad Unified School District 

Soledad Unified School District serves students in Monterey County's Salinas Valley across five elementary schools, Main Street Middle School, Soledad High School, and the Community Education Center. The District is headquartered at 1261 Metz Road, Soledad, CA 93960. 

Media Information 

Event: Grand opening and ribbon-cutting, Santa Lucia Apartments 

Date and time: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 4:00 p.m. 

Location: 183 Soledad Street, Soledad, CA 93960