316-unit student housing under construction at College of San Mateo in California
Key Highlights
- The new housing development will accommodate 316 students.
- Amenities include community kitchens, laundry, study areas, counseling offices, a food pantry, and two courtyards to foster community engagement.
- The initiative aims to reduce housing insecurity among students.
The San Mateo County (California) Community College District has broken ground on a 316-student housing development at College of San Mateo.
The San Mateo Daily Journal reports that the $86 million, three-story housing facility will offer a variety of below-market-rate unit types from shared bedrooms to studio and four-bedroom apartments for students from each of the district’s three campuses.
The other campuses in the community college district are Canada College in Redwood City and Skyline College in San Bruno.
The district says it has committed itself to providing a high-quality education to everyone, regardless of income, background or ZIP code.
“In one of the most expensive regions of the country, in a state that is grappling with a housing crisis, housing insecurity has become one of the single greatest barriers to students’ success," Board Vice President Richard Holober said.
Of the 116 community colleges in California, only 16 offer on-campus student housing.
“When you have 1,500 unhoused students and many more housing insecure, we reframed this from housing as a perk to housing as a necessity,” Chancellor Melissa Moreno said.
The housing is intended for low-income and housing insecure students, who must be enrolled in full-time courses with the anticipation of graduating within two years.
The housing site will include community kitchens, laundry facilities, study rooms, academic and health counseling offices, a basic needs food pantry, and diverse shared and individual study areas. It will also feature two courtyards.
The student housing development is estimated to be under construction until March 2028. Student move-in is intended for summer 2028.
“This is the first student housing project in our over 100-year history, and we hope there will be a second and a third to have housing on all three campuses,” Moreno said.