AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 8, 2026
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
98
Introduced by Assembly Member Fong
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Connolly and Hart)
February 19, 2026
An act to add and repeal Section 66221 to of the Education Code, relating to student housing.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state.
Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and requests the office of the President of the University of California, on or before July 1, 2022, to conduct a needs assessment to determine the projected student housing needs, by campus, for the 2022–23 fiscal year to the 2026–27 fiscal year, inclusive, and create a student housing plan, with a focus on affordable student housing, that outlines how they will meet the projected student housing needs, by campus, as provided. Existing law also requires the chancellor’s office, and requests the president’s office, to, every 3 years after July 1, 2022, review and update the student housing plan, and include the specific actions to be taken in the next 5 fiscal years.
This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, on or before July 1, 2027, to convene a working group to develop recommendations, identify opportunities, and support the sharing of best practices related to student housing, including intersegmental student housing, as provided. The bill would require the working group to include representatives designated by the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and the statewide student organizations for the California State University and the California Community Colleges. The bill would request the office of the President of the University of California to participate in the working group and designate representatives and, upon such participation, would require the statewide student organization for the University of California to designate representatives to serve on the working group.
This bill would require the working group to consult with representatives from campuses that have pursued intersegmental student housing projects and representatives from campus and system-level offices responsible for, among other things, housing operations and facilities development. The bill would require the working group to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor on or before July 1, 2028, that includes, among other things, recommendations related to assessing and determining unmet student housing need and recommended best practices and implementation supports for campuses interested in pursuing intersegmental student housing development.
This bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2029.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
It is the intent of the Legislature to establish an intersegmental student housing working group to coordinate efforts on developing student housing across the public higher education segments, as recommended by the California State Auditor in Report 2024-111 California Colleges: California’s Systems of Public Higher Education Could Better Address Student Housing Needs (October 14, 2025).
SEC. 2.
Section 66221 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 66220, to read:
66221.
(a) On or before July 1, 2027, the office of the Chancellor of the California State University shall convene a working group to develop recommendations for assessing unmet student housing demand, identify opportunities for intersegmental student housing development, and support the sharing of best practices and technical expertise related to intersegmental student housing projects.
(b) The working group shall include representatives designated by each of the following:
(1) The office of the Chancellor of the California State University.
(2) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(3) The statewide student organization for the California State University.
(4) The statewide student organization for the California Community Colleges.
(c) The office of the President of the University of California is requested to participate in the working group and designate representatives. If the office of the President of the University of California elects to participate in the working group, the statewide student organization for the University of California shall also designate representatives to serve on the working group.
(d) The working group shall consult with representatives from campuses that have pursued intersegmental student housing projects and representatives from campus and system-level offices responsible for housing operations, capital planning, facilities development, and basic needs programs.
(e) The working group may consult with other stakeholders, including, but not limited to, local governments, housing developers, researchers, and subject matter experts.
(f) The working group shall submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor on or before July 1, 2028, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Recommendations regarding metrics, data sources, and reporting practices that may be used to assess and determine unmet student housing demand across the state’s public postsecondary educational institutions, including a framework of common indicators that may improve the consistency and comparability of assessments across segments and campuses.
(2) An analysis of completed and proposed intersegmental student housing projects, including factors associated with successful project delivery and factors that impeded or prevented project completion.
(3) An assessment of structural barriers to the development of intersegmental student housing, including, but not limited to, financing, governance, land use authority, and transportation access.
(4) Identification of regions and campuses where future intersegmental student housing opportunities may exist based on enrollment trends, housing demand, geographic proximity, and other relevant factors.
(5) Recommended best practices and implementation supports for campuses interested in pursuing intersegmental student housing development, including, as applicable, but not limited to, practices related to project planning, financing, governance structures, student eligibility, project operations, intersegmental partnerships, technical assistance needs, information-sharing mechanisms, and related state policy considerations.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.
Section 66221 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 66220, to read:
66221.
(a) The office of the Chancellor of the California State University and the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall establish an intersegmental student housing working group, composed of representatives from the two offices, faculty, and students. The Legislature requests the office of the President of the University of California to join and appoint representatives to the intersegmental working group.
(b) The working group shall use assessments of unmet demand developed by the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and the University of California, if the University of California joins the intersegmental working group, in order to further analyze systemwide, regional, and campus-specific student housing needs.
(c) The working group shall develop a statewide plan that identifies opportunities for intersegmental collaboration to build campus housing and informs future state funding considerations.