Photo: Elliott Kaufman / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
California State University (CSU) is grappling with a significant student housing shortage, despite adding over 17,000 new beds between 2014 and 2024. Studies indicate that on-campus housing can improve students' academic outcomes, but the demand continues to outpace supply.
Many students, like Sofia Gonzalez from Sacramento State, face challenges finding affordable housing. Gonzalez, a business and marketing major, considered transferring or commuting from her parents' home due to limited and costly on-campus options. Housing accounts for half the cost of attendance at CSU, and 11% of students report experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, according to Los Angeles Times.
Currently, 87% of CSU's 460,000 students live off-campus. The university has plans to add 5,600 more beds, with a systemwide housing plan aiming to accommodate an additional 12,600 students by 2030. However, some campuses, like Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay, have seen declining enrollment, leading to empty dorms, while others are overburdened with demand.
State lawmakers are considering a 2026 bond measure to fund student housing and other educational facilities across CSU, the University of California, and the California Community Colleges system. This measure, if approved, could help alleviate housing pressures and make college more affordable for low-income students, as noted by EdSource.
At Cal State Northridge, a new 198-bed complex is set to open, but 2,000 students remain on the waiting list for housing. Kevin Conn, the executive director of student housing, expressed the difficulty of meeting demand, stating, "Their stories are really, really heart-wrenching, because we can only do so much."
As CSU continues to address these challenges, the potential bond measure could provide much-needed support for expanding housing options and improving student success.