Mountain View’s $88 Million “Scholars Rows” Opens Amid Partial Vacancy

The 144-unit, $88 million Scholars Rows at The Sevens opened in February 2025 in Mountain View, California. The complex offers subsidized rent to employees of the Mountain View Whisman School District, a community college district and the city. Rents range from $1,350 for studios to $2,900 for two-bedrooms, with eligibility for households earning below 80 % of the area median income ($162,400) or up to $246,600 for higher tiers.

The Independent

SFGate reports 72 % occupancy. All 12 vacant units for the school district are one-bedroom apartments. Other 71 units are split between the community college district (50) and the city (20). Studios cost $1,350–$1,850; one-bedrooms $1,550–$2,200; two-bedrooms $2,150–$2,900.

The Independent

Teacher salaries in the Mountain View Whisman district range from $72,000 for new teachers to $95,000 for experienced staff, keeping most employees within the income limits for the subsidized units. A San Mateo-Foster City survey found 96 % of employees cite high local housing costs as a primary recruitment barrier, highlighting the importance of affordable staff housing.

The Independent

Peter Ingram, interim executive director, said the 72 % occupancy is typical for new building and noted that “lives are complex,” so tenants move cautiously. Lyn Hikida of MidPen Housing reported 76 % of residents are teachers, paraeducators or pupil-services staff, with the remainder other district employees. A San Francisco school district spokesperson said its Shirley Chisholm Village has filled and now has a waitlist of over 5,000 applicants. Denise Shreve, director of communication for San Mateo-Foster City School District, said housing lets employees remain in communities where they grew up.

The Independent

Critics note that the vacancy of higher-priced one-bedroom units suggests even subsidized rates may be unaffordable for some eligible workers, and the AMI-based eligibility excludes teachers whose salaries exceed the caps.

The Independent

• “Lives are complex, and so for somebody to make a decision to make a move, even in the face of the extreme cost of housing in the area, it’s still a big decision for people,” — Peter Ingram, Interim Executive Director

The Independent

• “I think people are just naturally kind of cautious and taking it slow and sure, rather than everybody just piling on.” — Peter Ingram, Interim Executive Director

The Independent

• “Lyn Hikida, a spokesperson for the facility's operator, MidPen Housing, stated in an email to the outlet that 76 percent of the residents were teachers, paraeducators and pupil services staff.” — Lyn Hikida, Spokesperson, MidPen Housing

The Independent

• “Denise Shreve, the district’s director of communication, career and technical education, and housing, told SFGate that the housing option allowed employees to remain in the communities where they grew up.” — Denise Shreve, Director of Communication, San Mateo-Foster City School District

The Independent

The San Mateo-Foster City School District Board will vote on a bond measure to fund 80 additional staff-housing units for the November 2026 ballot. Jefferson Union High School District maintains a 60-person waitlist for its 122-unit project.

The Independent