Employees at Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Cottage Health will be able to purchase homes at below-market rates, following the success of a program implemented by the system a decade ago.
The 204 houses will be built in two locations, according to a Sept. 26 news release from Cottage Health. Once Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital in Santa Barbara completes its move to the Goleta (Calif.) Valley Cottage campus, 44 houses will be built at the site, the release said.
Cottage Health will also acquire 160 units that are planned to be built near Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital. Construction in both locations will begin in 2028 and the first homes will be available in 2029, the release said.
The system built 81 homes for its workforce more than 10 years ago. Since then, 145 staff members have utilized the program.
Ensuring healthcare professionals are local is essential in emergencies such as road closures and fires, the release said.
It has been important in employee retention, allowing more people to stay with the organization, Cottage Health CEO Ron Werft previously told Becker's.