Homeless Students at California College can now Sleep in Their Cars in Parking Garage
California’s Long Beach City College is now allowing homeless students to sleep in their vehicles overnight at an on-campus structure through their trial “Safe Parking Program.”
Enrolled students who are homeless will be able to stay at the Pacific Coast Campus parking structure between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. seven nights a week.
However, this isn’t an ordinary parking garage that the school simply gave the okay to overnight parking for. Homeless students will have access to wifi, restrooms, and even showers. The structure has it’s own security to prevent vehicle break-ins and provide students with peace of mind. Students utilizing the program will also receive help to find more stable, long-term housing.
A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, published late last year found that 1 in 5 California Community College students, 1 in 10 California State University students, and 1 in 20 University of California students were experiencing homelessness.
And including K-12 students, the number of students experiencing homelessness in the state has risen nearly 50% in the last decade, according to the study.
“Our goal for this program is that it will serve as a pathway to housing stability for our students,” LBCC Board of Trustees President Uduak-Joe Ntuk said in a statement.
Students won’t be able to have partners or children sleeping in the vehicle with them. The college contracted a security firm to keep watch throughout the duration of the pilot program, until June 30, 2022. Long Beach City College has implemented a Basic Needs program to address hunger and housing insecurity among students.
“These students would otherwise have to be worrying nightly about their vehicles being broken into, trying not to be seen or bothered, and not having the police called on them, all while keeping up with their coursework. It could be an exhausting situation that makes it more difficult to get ahead.”
0 comments