In California, one state lawmaker is proposing a bill requiring community colleges to offer an overnight parking lot for homeless students who sleep in their cars. This comes after a study found many students experience homelessness.
A 2020 study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles’ Center for the Transformation of Schools shows that 20% of community college students in the state experience homelessness. That’s one in five community college students who have no stable home to return to when classes are dismissed.
Assemblymember pushes for safe parking
State Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, D-Riverside, has advocated for community colleges to adopt an overnight parking lot program equipped with security, restrooms and lighting, where students who live in their vehicles can park. It’s what he calls a safe space for these students to sleep.
Jackson appeared on Spectrum News’ “Inside the Issues” show on Thursday, April 24.
“So all people have to do is know that they’re safe and that all they have to do is get their rest,” Dr. Jackson said.
Long Beach program serves as model
Long Beach Community College was one of the first in the state to adopt a safe parking program in 2021. This program allowed currently enrolled students and their emotional support animals to sleep in their cars overnight in a secure campus location. The College also provided access to restrooms, showers, Wi-Fi and security.
“Our goal for this program is that it will serve as a pathway to housing stability for our students. These students would otherwise have to be worrying nightly about their vehicles being broken into, trying not to be seen or bothered, and not having the police called on them, all while keeping up with their coursework. It could be an exhausting situation that makes it more difficult to get ahead,” LBCCD Board of Trustees President Uduak-Joe Ntuk said in a press release when announcing the pilot program.
Statewide housing crisis drives urgency
According to a December 2024 report published by the Public Policy Institute of California, the state has some of the lowest homeownership rates in the country.
In 1990, the average rent in California was $1,300, which increased to just over $1,820 in 2023.
Right now, the cost of the program is unknown. However, Jackson says this is an opportunity for students experiencing homelessness to receive immediate relief as they wrestle with the state’s housing crisis.
“What these numbers really are, are guessed. And what we can see is that we know it won’t cost that much money. As a matter of fact, our bill makes sure that each campus gets to design their own plan based upon their resources and based upon the configuration of their campuses. At the end of the day, we’re in a housing crisis, and every state and government entity has to join in that fight.”
A similar bill was also introduced in 2024. However, it did not make it out of committee, and a committee has not yet reviewed this year’s bill.
