General ProvisionsStudent Housing

Section § 76010

Explanation

This law encourages California Community Colleges to prioritize housing for current and former homeless and foster youth. If campuses offer year-round housing, these youth should receive first priority at no extra cost during breaks. Each campus should also have a plan to help these students access housing resources throughout the year, even if the campus doesn't have its own housing facilities.

A "homeless youth" is defined as someone under 25 who has been verified as homeless at any time within the two years before applying to a community college. Verification can come from a homeless services provider, a program director, or a financial aid administrator. Once classified as a former homeless youth, this status remains for six years after admission.

(a)CA Education Code § 76010(a) In order to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth who are students at the campuses of the California Community Colleges have stable housing, each campus of the California Community Colleges that maintains student housing facilities is requested to give priority for housing to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth. In addition, each campus of the California Community Colleges that maintains student housing facilities open for occupation during school breaks, or on a year-round basis, is requested to give first priority to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth for residence in the housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round occupation and provide this housing to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth at no extra cost during academic or campus breaks, and next give priority to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth for housing that is open for occupation during the most days in the calendar year.
(b)CA Education Code § 76010(b) In addition, each campus of the California Community Colleges is requested to develop a plan to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth can access housing resources as needed during and between academic terms, including during academic and campus breaks, regardless of whether the campus maintains student housing facilities.
(c)CA Education Code § 76010(c) As used in this section, a “homeless youth” means a student under 25 years of age, who has been verified, in the case of a former homeless youth, at any time during the 24 months immediately preceding the receipt of his or her application for admission by a campus of the California Community Colleges, as a homeless child or youth, as defined in subsection (2) of Section 725 of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)), by at least one of the following:
(1)CA Education Code § 76010(c)(1) A homeless services provider, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 103577 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2)CA Education Code § 76010(c)(2) The director, or his or her designee, of a federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs program.
(3)CA Education Code § 76010(c)(3) A financial aid administrator.
(d)CA Education Code § 76010(d) For purposes of this section, a student who is verified as a former homeless youth pursuant to subdivision (c) shall retain that status for a period of six years from the date of admission.
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Section § 76011

Explanation

This law requires community colleges with shower facilities to allow homeless students access as long as they are enrolled in courses, have paid their fees, and are in good standing. They don't need to sign up for extra classes to use the showers.

The college board needs a plan for access, including setting hours that work around athletic programs, defining 'homeless student' in line with existing federal law but tailored for college students, and specifying how many course units a student needs to take to be eligible.

Showers must be open at least two hours each weekday, without interfering with sports schedules.

(a)CA Education Code § 76011(a) If a community college campus has shower facilities for student use on campus, the governing board of the community college district shall grant access to those facilities to any homeless student who is enrolled in coursework, has paid enrollment fees, and is in good standing with the community college district without requiring the student to enroll in additional courses.
(b)CA Education Code § 76011(b) The governing board shall determine a plan of action to implement subdivision (a) that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1)CA Education Code § 76011(b)(1) Hours of operation for the shower facilities, consistent with subdivision (c).
(2)CA Education Code § 76011(b)(2) The minimum number of units a student must be enrolled in to use the facilities.
(3)CA Education Code § 76011(b)(3) A plan of action if hours of operation conflict with an intercollegiate athletic program.
(4)CA Education Code § 76011(b)(4) A definition of homeless student that is based on the definition of homeless youth specified in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)), but also reflects the age of the homeless student population at the community college campus.
(c)CA Education Code § 76011(c) Hours of operation shall be consistent with hours of operation of the facilities in which the showers are located, shall be set at a minimum of two hours per weekday, and shall not conflict with the intercollegiate athletic program of the campus.
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