I teach fourth grade in the most expensive city in my state – I can’t afford a $2,000 minimum rent and now live in my car with no air conditioning

A primary school teacher is forced to sleep in his car because he can no longer afford the rising rent costs.

Bill Atkinson is currently homeless in Austin, Texas because he earns too much to qualify for housing assistance – but not enough to afford rent.

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Atkinson not only works at his school – he also sleeps in the school parking lot.

The fourth grade teacher has been living in his car for the past few weeks.

To make matters worse, his car doesn’t have air conditioning.

With temperatures over 35 degrees in August, his living situation is not only uncomfortable but also dangerous.

“I park at my school,” Atkinson said, ABC affiliate WFAA News reported.

“I park in a spot where not many parents park around my car, so they don’t come around that often,” he added.

Atkinson cited the city’s high cost of living, student loans and other bills as the main reasons he couldn’t – and still can’t – find an apartment.

Although Atkinson earns “too much” to qualify for income-tested housing, he cannot find a home he can afford, even with odd jobs, in addition to paying his monthly bills.

“Because apartment complexes now do a credit check to get approved, I can’t even get approved for apartments I can afford, and I technically make too much for income-based housing,” Atkinson said.

To qualify for Section 8 housing, eligible households must have an annual gross income of no more than 50% of the median income, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

In Austin, the average income for a single person making 50% or $88,200 per year is $44,100.

Atkinson earns $53,000 a year as a teacher, nearly $9,000 more than the median salary—but also about $35,000 less than the average Austin resident.

According to Zillow, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Austin area is about $1,400.

“I can tell you that many of our teachers live paycheck to paycheck,” said Ovidia Molina, president of the Texas State Teachers Association.

“There are teachers who leave the profession because they can earn more money and support a family and buy a house,” Molina added.

Atkinson agrees that it is time for the state to pay its teachers more – and raise the wage caps for affordable housing.

“Especially for those who are somewhere in between: ‘OK, you’re a little bit above the poverty line, but not really,'” he said.

“And then the teachers must also organize themselves into a union,” he added.

Atkinson set up a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising enough money to pay off his debts and afford his own apartment.

“Although I know that I am carrying the debt myself, I am asking for help in paying it off. My student debt is especially important to me because I cannot get a work permit for the school administration until I have released my certificates,” he wrote on the donation page.

“My total debt excluding car and student loans is $13,564. I’m requesting $13,600 to cover transfer costs,” he added.

On August 14, Atkinson gave an update on his housing situation, saying he was able to stay at the home of a “good Samaritan.”

“I found a temporary place to live through a Good Samaritan.”

“It’s temporary as they are working on selling the house but allowing me to stay there in the meantime,” he added.

The next day he reached his fundraising goal.

“GoFundMe has been fulfilled. #almosthome #gypsyteacher #babblinbill #forevergrateful,” he wrote.

As of August 20, Atkinson had raised $17,135 from 471 donations, surpassing his goal of $13,600.

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