A deal on affordable housing for Orange County Public Schools employees has received the green light from the School Board. School employees will be given priority consideration at two downtown Orlando apartment complexes.

District leaders say the rising cost of living in Central Florida has outpaced wages, directly contributing to the shortage of critical employees.

The Priority Housing Access Agreement approved Tuesday was supported by OESPA, Orange Education Support Professionals, which represents bus drivers, custodians, and paraprofessionals in the district. OESPA President Ron Pollard told Channel 9 he strongly supported the agreement and a push to find affordable housing solutions for staff.

After three weeks of paid leave, staff will also be able to use up to nine weeks of unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, or any other paid sick leave that they have saved up. “It really is a result of a lot of people coming together and then us working with the district to push this”