LA Community Colleges Will Spend $1.5 Million to House Homeless Students

Pierce College in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) approved more than $1.5 million to fund a pilot program that helps provide housing for students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, the district announced on April 18.

The Board of Trustees voted last week to dedicate more than $1,540,408 to house more than 100 students through a pilot program in partnership with local nonprofit organizations.

The students will have access to a clean and safe place to live, food, Wi-Fi and mental health support. Some will also have access to academic tutoring, employment assistance, and financial counseling, according to officials.

“Too many of our students are housing insecure and have had their studies heavily impacted by the lack of a safe and quiet place to sleep and study. I thank my colleagues for this Board vote, it is a significant step forward in helping these students meet one of their most basic needs,” LACCD Board President Gabriel Buelna said in a statement.

Applications for the pilot program are now open, and students can apply through the websites of its partners: Jovenes, Inc., Los Angeles Room and Board, Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services, Seed House Project, and The Shower of Hope.

According to the district, approximately 68 percent of its students come from low-income families, and 53 percent are at or below the poverty line. The COVID-19 pandemic, high rents, and high cost of living have made housing insecurity an even more critical issue.

A memo from the California Community College Chancellor’s office indicated that community college enrollment in California continues to decline. The office reported that the students enrollment in fall 2021 has went down 7 percent from the previous year and 20 percent from Fall 2019.

“No student should be forced to choose between keeping a roof over their head and pursuing an education,” said LACCD Chancellor Francisco C. Rodriguez

The program comes after Senate Bill 330 was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021. The bill allows the district to develop a pilot program to build affordable housing for students and employees. It also authorizes the district to partner with nonprofit organizations or private entities to lease real property under certain conditions to develop affordable housing.

The housing agreement runs a full year beginning on April 13, 2022.

LACCD is one of the largest community college districts in the United States. It comprises nine colleges including Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor college, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Valley College, and West Los Angeles College.

In a survey conducted in 2020 across LACCD, 13 percent of those who responded said they have experienced homelessness and 55 percent said they were housing insecure in the past year.

“We suspect these numbers have only gone higher due to the pandemic,” William Boyer, the spokesperson for LACCD told The Epoch Times.