WHEREAS, Past resolutions have been passed by the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (S19-A-R-04 Overnight Parking[1] and S23.03.04 Safe Parking Programs[2]) and the University of California Los Angeles Undergraduates Student Association Council (Resolution in Support of California AB 1818[3]) in support of implementing safe parking programs overnight for homeless or housing insecure students;
WHEREAS, California Assembly Bill 302 (2019)[4] by Assemblymember Marc Berman and Assembly Bill 1818 (2024)[5] by Assemblymember Corey Jackson were introduced to allow overnight parking for California Community College students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, and both assembly bills were supported by the Student Senate for California Community Colleges;
WHEREAS, In 2023, 28% of all homeless Americans were found in California[6] despite California only making up 12% of the US population[7], with nearly 3 in 5 California Community College students experiencing housing insecurity[8], and the rate of homelessness among these students rising from 20% in 2020[9] to 25% in 2023[8]; and
WHEREAS, Although the California Community College system is made up of 116 campuses and almost 2 million students, only 13 of these colleges offer on-campus housing with a total of 2,700 beds offered statewide, and an additional 519 students received rapid rehousing assistance in 2021-22 with over half of the 116 campuses having applied to receive funds to support rapid rehousing programs[10]; Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges support the re-introduction of a bill like AB 302 (2019, Berman) and AB 1818 (2024, Jackson) to solidify safe parking programs and rapid rehousing programs within state legislature;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges make it a legislative priority any bill to create safe parking or rapid rehousing programs across the California Community College systemand advocate for the integration of basic needs resources within the proposed programs;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges collaborate with the University of California Student Association (UCSA) and the California State Student Association (CSSA) in their advocacy efforts to provide safe parking and rapid rehousing to students who experience homelessness or housing insecurity; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges strongly advocate to the California Community College Chancellor for the immediate direction of funds towards safe parking programs and rapid rehousing programs while more permanent, and expensive, campus housing plans are proposed, regardless of whether a statewide bill is proposed.
Citations:
[1] SSCCC Resolution S19-A-R-04 Overnight Parking (2019)
[2] SSCCC Resolution S23.03.04 Safe Parking Programs (2023)
[3] USAC Resolution 2024-02-27 in Support of California AB 1818 (2024)
[4] California Assembly Bill 302 (2019)
[5] California Assembly Bill 1818 (2024)
[6] The 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress (2023)
[7] U.S. and World Population Clock
[8] Affordability, Food, and Housing Access Taskforce Report (2023)
[9] State of Crisis: Dismantling Student Homelessness in California (2020),