Public postsecondary education: student housing: foster youth and homeless youth

Eligible students at community colleges and CSU campuses cannot be shut out of housing because they cannot pay upfront fees before financial aid arrives. The law also extends priority enrollment to NextUp foster-youth participants older than 25.

What the law does ​

• Requires community college campuses with student housing to prioritize current and former foster and homeless youth for housing.
• Requires community college and CSU housing applications to identify students eligible for priority housing, and requires campuses to publish the benefits and eligibility rules online.
• Requires community college and CSU campuses to defer or waive upfront housing-related charges for eligible students awaiting financial-aid disbursement, subject to a FAFSA or California Dream Act application.
• Bars those campuses from denying or cancelling an eligible student’s housing over unpaid upfront costs before financial aid is disbursed.
• Gives eligible students at campuses with break or year-round housing first priority for uninterrupted year-round rooms at no extra cost during academic or campus breaks.
• Extends priority enrollment to foster youth older than 25 who are enrolled in the NextUp program.

Who it affects ​

• Current and former foster youth, including NextUp participants older than 25 for priority enrollment.
• Current and former homeless youth under 25 who meet the verification requirements.
• California Community Colleges and California State University campuses that maintain student housing.
• University of California campuses if the Regents adopt a resolution making the provisions applicable.

Context ​

Former homeless youth retain verified status for six years after admission.