Can Cal State Meet Its Housing Demand? Looking At the Addition of 18,000 Beds

Dormitory life at Sacramento State University was ideal for Sofia Gonzalez during her first year, with classes merely a brief stroll away. However, as she entered her sophomore year, she discovered that friends faced waiting lists for university housing. Faced with a scarcity of affordable upperclassmen dorms, Gonzalez chose to explore the private rental market. “There was nowhere I could live within my budget near campus,” noted the business and marketing major, considering transferring or commuting long distances to her parents’ home.Housing represents a significant hurdle for low-income students across the California State University system, where housing expenses can constitute half of overall attendance costs. CSU aims to address this with over 17,000 new beds by 2024, with further plans potentially providing an additional 12,600 by 2030. Amidst a systematic push for on-campus housing to enhance student success, concerns regarding financial sustainability and occupancy remain prominent.