As representatives of the student body, you play a critical role in advocating for student well-being and ensuring that basic needs, such as housing, are recognized as essential to academic success. With that in mind, we are proud to share this toolkit, which is created to support your efforts in addressing student housing insecurity and advancing affordable housing solutions across the California Community College system.
Affordable housing is a foundational element of student success. Without access to safe and stable living environments, students are more likely to experience academic challenges, mental health struggles, and financial hardship. This toolkit was developed to support you with the tools and information needed to champion housing equity and ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive in their educational journeys.
In particular, the toolkit includes resources to help you understand and advocate for the Affordable Student Housing Grant Program, which was launched in the 2021–22 California Budget to tackle the state’s student housing crisis. This program enables California Community Colleges to apply for planning and construction grants over three rounds (2022–2025), with oversight now housed under the Chancellor’s Office.
Included in the toolkit, you will find:
Advocacy Letter Templates, Flyer Samples, Housing Peer Navigator Position Information, Action Resources, and curated External Resources to help guide your advocacy.
Here are a few ways you can use the toolkit to its full potential:
- Familiarize Yourselves with the Toolkit: Begin by exploring the toolkit contents, including information on the Housing Grant Program and the role of peer navigators. Understanding this policy landscape will strengthen your advocacy and outreach efforts.
- Lead Housing Advocacy on Your Campus: Use the Advocacy Letter Templates to voice student housing needs to your college administration, local leaders, or the Chancellor’s Office. Collaborate with your Basic Needs Center or Student Services to support or initiate housing-related initiatives.
- Raise Awareness Through Events and Media: Leverage the Flyer Samples to educate your peers about local housing resources, rental assistance programs, and emergency housing support. Use these tools to amplify your outreach across campus and online.
- Foster Student Support and Dialogue: Create spaces for students to share their housing stories and learn from each other. Host roundtables, resource fairs, or student panels to encourage open dialogue and connect peers with vital support networks.
- Share Your Efforts and Stories: We encourage you to share your impact, ideas, and success stories with us. Your feedback is key to improving this toolkit and helping other student leaders statewide create meaningful change. If you have any suggestions, success stories, or feedback, please contact us.
Your leadership and advocacy have the power to drive real progress on one of the most pressing issues facing our students today. Thank you for your commitment to equity, access, and the basic needs of your peers.
In this drive, you'll find advocacy letter templates, flyer samples, information on the Affordable Student Housing Grant Program, and resources to support the creation of peer housing navigator roles.
Provide a step-by-step action plan described in the toolkit of this resolution outlining how student governments at community colleges across California can work together to provide students with access to safe housing they can afford.
Use these resources to advocate for a Peer Navigator position on your campus who is enrolled at your institution, has lived experience, and is knowledgeable of resources at both the college and in the community.