WHEREAS, The California Community Colleges Homeless and Housing Insecurity Pilot Program commissioned through the 2018 California State Budget (California Education Code §9795), and reported on by the Chancellor’s Office in 2023 [1], demonstrated the success of offering comprehensive wraparound basic needs support for students experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness with 224 homeless students receiving support services, 295 housing-insecure students receiving support, and 116 homeless/housing-insecure students maintaining stable housing for six months or more;
WHEREAS, The need for improved access to food and housing for students is great with approximately two-thirds of California Community College students reporting they have experienced at least one basic needs insecurity such as food insecurity, housing insecurity, or homelessness, according to a study conducted in 2023 by the RP Group and the Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce of the Community College League of California (CCLC) [2];
WHEREAS, State and federal financial aid programs, including Cal Grant and the Pell Grant, are critical for supporting low-income students who struggle with access to basic needs, but many eligible students are not automatically connected to essential housing and basic needs resources, resulting in gaps in support; and
WHEREAS, Establishing partnerships between community colleges and local county service agencies can streamline access to essential resources for students, such as housing assistance, food assistance, mental health care services, thereby fostering stability and academic success; Now, therefore, let it be,
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for legislation requiring every California community college to implement a comprehensive wrap-around program, modeled after the California Community Colleges Homeless and Housing Insecurity Pilot Program, including housing assistance, case management, and access to essential services;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges collaborate with the California Student Aid Commission to establish a system that automatically enrolls eligible Pell Grant and Cal Grant recipients into comprehensive housing support programs at their respective colleges to eliminate administrative barriers;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for increased funding to support outreach efforts at local high schools, community centers, and underserved communities to promote awareness of housing support programs available at California community colleges; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges call for every California community college to designate a county services liaison on campus to assist students in accessing county resources, including housing assistance, food security programs, and legal services, fostering a coordinated and accessible resource network for housing-insecure students.
Citations:
[1]California Community Colleges Homeless and Housing Insecurity Pilot Program Report.
[2]Basic Needs Among California Community College Students (2023) Real College California