AB 1228: Public postsecondary education: campus housing: priority for homeless youth.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses. Existing law establishes 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 other 2 segments of public postsecondary education in this state.

Existing law requests the regents and the trustees to explore methods of using the admissions-by-exemption category to assist the transition of students in foster care into 4-year public institutions of higher education.

This bill would request the regents and the trustees to provide that assistance to students who are homeless youth.

Existing law requests campuses of the California Community Colleges, requires campuses of the California State University, and requires campuses of the University of California, subject to its agreement by resolution, to do all of the following: (1) give priority for housing to current and former foster youth, and (2) as to campuses that maintain student housing facilities open for occupation during school breaks, or on a year-round basis, give first priority to current and former foster youth for residence in housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round occupation and next give priority to current and former foster youth for housing that is open for occupation during the most days in the calendar year.

This bill would provide priority for campus housing to current and former homeless youth that is identical to that priority extended to current and former foster youth under existing law. This bill would request the campuses of the California Community Colleges, and would require the campuses of the California State University, and of the University of California, subject to its agreement by resolution, if they maintain student housing facilities, to provide housing in housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round occupation to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth at no extra cost during academic or campus breaks, and would request each campus of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to develop a plan to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth can access housing resources during and between academic terms, including during academic and campus breaks. This bill would define current and former homeless youth for each of these purposes.