SACRAMENTO, CA — Assemblymember David Alvarez (D–San Diego) today announced that AB 1732, the Student and Faculty Housing Opportunity Act, was advanced by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee yesterday afternoon. The measure would expand California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining available to the University of California, California State University, and community colleges seeking to build housing for students, faculty, and staff.
"Students are sleeping in their cars, couch-surfing, or dropping out because they can't find an affordable place to live near campus,” said Assemblymember Alvarez. “AB 1732 cuts through the red tape that delays the housing our universities need to build. I am proud to partner with the students who are leading this effort, and to be a part of this fight for future generations!”
California’s college campuses face a severe housing shortage that contributes to student homelessness, long commutes, and faculty recruitment challenges. The problem is compounded by CEQA litigation: from 2018 to 2023, seven UC housing projects were stalled by CEQA lawsuits, causing deferred enrollment and contributing to a growing campus homelessness crisis.
“Rising housing costs and limited affordable units near campus are significant barriers in the way of a student’s pursuit of higher education,” said Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías. “Despite the immense community benefit student housing provides, new housing projects near colleges are often difficult to develop. I am thrilled to join Assemblymembers Alvarez and Wicks in working to make building student housing easier and faster.”
According to a statewide survey by the Student HOMES Coalition, 7% of UC students, 11% of CSU students, and 24% of community college students experience housing instability on an annual basis.
“The high rates of student homelessness are a predictable consequence of the shortage of housing on our campuses,” said Kate Rodgers - Chair and Policy Director, Student Homes Coalition. “While private developers have received regulatory relief, UCs, CSU, and CCC projects are still vulnerable to bad-faith CEQA litigation and burdensome standards of review. AB 1732 will create a much-needed CEQA exemption for public student, faculty, and staff housing projects, allowing campuses to meet the needs of their students and address the root of California’s college affordability problem.”
Under current law, private colleges can access CEQA infill exemptions because their projects are evaluated against local general plans. Public universities, which are exempt from local zoning and instead governed by their own long-range development plans, cannot meet that requirement and are therefore locked out of the same streamlining. AB 1732 closes that gap, putting UC, CSU, and community colleges on equal footing with private institutions and local homebuilders.
“The UC Student Association is proud to co-sponsor AB 1732 and we thank Assemblymember Alvarez for his longstanding leadership to ensure students have access to affordable housing, especially for UC’s which are located in some of California’s highest cost regions,” said Aditi Hariharan, UCSA President. “We appreciate Assembly Natural Resources for moving the bill forward so students can benefit from the impact of AB 1732 so that colleges can increase the production of affordable housing through LRDPs.”
The bill now moves to the Assembly Housing Committee for further consideration.
If passed by both chambers and signed by the Governor, the measure would take effect January 1, 2027.
