Affordable Low Income Housing Toolkit
In Spring 2021, the SSCCC Delegates passed Resolution S21.01.02 Affordable Low Income Housing. This Resolution called for the SSCCC to advocate for the creation of a legislative bill to allocate funding for the building and/or purchasing of on and/or off campus affordable housing for California community college students statewide. In addition, this Resolution called for the SSCCC to advocate for California community colleges statewide to partner with local organizations in alignment with “The Village” [6] Cerritos College affordable housing model to provide affordable on/off campus housing options to low income students. Use the toolkit below to advocate for affordable low income housing on or near your campus.
S21.01.02 Affordable Low Income Housing
Authors: Toni Schiffmaier
Sponsor: SSCCC Board of Directors
WHEREAS, according to California Community Colleges #RealCollege Survey, “60% of respondents were housing insecure” [1] prior to the pandemic, which has only been exacerbated according to the California Community Colleges COVID-19 Student Impact Survey with 53% of students reporting income decreases [2] making it more difficult to afford housing;
WHEREAS, according to a study conducted by Cerritos College, “only 6% of students who experience homelessness receive housing assistance [3];
WHEREAS, according to a report by the Research and Planning Group “Students Speak Their Truth about Transfer: What They Need to Get Through the Gate”, the inability to afford stable housing and other living costs slows the time to transfer due to needing to work additional hours and taking fewer units [4]; and
WHEREAS, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, “Studies show that students who live on campus not only have a higher GPA, but they are more likely to graduate.” [5], which increases student success rates and closes equity gaps; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for the creation of a legislative bill to allocate funding for the building and/or purchasing of on and/or off campus affordable housing for California community college students statewide when state budget funding is more widely available after the pandemic recession ends; and
RESOLVED, that the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for California community colleges statewide to partner with local organizations in alignment with “The Village” [6] Cerritos College affordable housing model to provide affordable on/off campus housing options to low income students.
Citation 1: Sara Goldrick-Rab et al., “California Community Colleges #RealCollege Survey,” The Hope Center, https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/RealCollege-CCCCO-Report.pdf,
Citation 2: “California Community Colleges COVID-19 Survey Report,” California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/Files/Communications/reports/student-impact-survey-v2,
Citation 3: “The Village at Cerritos College ” Cerritos College, https://www.cerritos.edu/thevillage/_includes/docs/The_Village_Slides_061120_ua.pdf.
Citation 4: “Students Speak Their Truth about Transfer: What They Need to Get Through the Gate”, The RP Group, https://bit.ly/3JK9j10
Citation 5: “California Community Colleges: College Dormitories and Housing”, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, https://www.cccco.edu/Students/Support-Services/College-Dormitories-and-Housing. Citation 6: “The Village”, Cerritos College, https://www.cerritos.edu/thevillage/.
