History of Public Service

In 1998 community schools were in crisis with severe overcrowding.  The number of students significantly exceeded the designed capacity of the school facilities.  Forty-five percent of the then-17,000 William S. Hart Union High School District students were considered "unhoused", with most occupying temporary facilities.

Funding for new schools was difficult to come by and locating suitable sites was even harder.  The community faced though times with the subsequent defeat of several school bond measures.

Something had to be done to break the bottleneck.  With forward-thinking ambition, the Hart District board developed a concept for a public-private partnership that could get a school project off the ground, move it along quickly, while minimizing costs and maximizing state funding.

The school district's concept was to form a public-benefit corporation - a private non-profit foundation - that could focus on a single school building project and bring it to fruition.

Working with prominent community leaders, the school district board helped establish the Santa Clarita Valley Facilities Foundation with a mission to find a way to build the much needed Golden Valley High School and relieve severe overcrowding.

The task was not an easy one, nor was it without setbacks and challenges.  With steadfast determination, unwavering resolve, and in partnership with the City of Santa Clarita and the Hart District, the Facilities Foundation set out to accomplish one of the largest public works projects in the city's history.

The resulting joint venture provided a means to build a key portion of the Golden Valley Road cross-valley connector at a substantial cost savings to taxpayers.  In August 2004, Golden Valley High School opened its doors helping to alleviate overcrowding in other local high schools.

The success of the Golden Vally project has laid the groundwork for the cost-effective development of other school projects.  Today, the Facilities Foundation continues to assist the Hart District in locating future school sites, identifying opportunities, and funding other education-related projects, while continuing to strengthen capabilities and land holdings.