The Bibb County School District hopes to provide some teachers with money to buy one of several houses under construction in Beall's Hill in exchange for a longer term contract.
Jasmine Taylor teaches English at Macon's Northeast High but when she's not taking care of her students, she's figuring out how to make ends meet since her paycheck only goes so far.
Starting salary for a teacher in Bibb County is about $32,000.
"Now that I'm 2 years removed from college, specifically grad school, I have to budget also accordingly for student loan payments," Taylor said.
The Bibb County School District now wants to make things a little easier for teachers by helping with their housing.
They are working on a partnership with Historic Macon Foundation to provide 17% or up to $20,000 of the cost of some homes in Macon's Beall's Hill neighborhood. It's called downpayment assistance.
All the school district needs is a 3-year contract commitment from the teacher.
"This is a tool that the school board can use to actually attract talent to our community," Ethiel Garlington, Excutive Director of the Historic Macon Foundation, said. "This is a unique tool that I'm not sure any other districts around us are offering."
Garlington says half the money for the assistance comes from Knight Foundation grants, the other half from the school district.
He says money and other incentives can offer a sweet deal for a one-bedroom home like the one at 933 Ash Street. It's listed for $85,000.
"When you do the state historic tax credits, and the property tax freeze, you're looking at paying $180-$200 a month to own one of these houses," Garlington said.
Taylor says it's a step in the right direction to find and keep good talent, since she plans to own her own home someday, too.
"$180 -- that is crazy, in a good way," Taylor said. "I would be willing to jump on in a minute. That's much less than my rent."
The Bibb County Board of Education is expected to pass the funding for the partnership with their Fiscal Year 2019 budget later this year.