April 13, 2025—Mercury News’ Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Milpitas reporter Stephanie Lam speaks to Student Engagement Associate Angela Estrada and Director of Higher Education Sbeydeh Viveros-Walton on the growing need for affordable housing access for community college students, many of whom face barriers to accessing housing, and other basic needs. Addressing a student’s basic needs is critical for a student’s academic, physical, and mental well-being.

Community colleges tend to cater toward local high school graduates who can commute from their homes, or within the community. However, the demographic of the typical community college is rapidly changing, said Angela Estrada, an advocate with Public Advocates, a California nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization.

Many students these days are considered low-income, come from other countries, juggle multiple jobs, or are older students with families — all of whom are vulnerable to housing insecurity, according to Estrada.

“Society thinks, ‘Oh, community college students are fine, they live at home with parents,’” She said. “But many don’t have that privilege; some of them are parents or are working jobs. They really need access to affordable housing.”

Unlike community colleges, four-year institutions already have established systems in place that allow them to acquire, build and fund student housing, according to Sbeydeh Viveros-Walton, director of higher education at Public Advocates.

Community colleges operate with less financial resources but have to catch up just as quickly to meet their students’ demands. The task can be difficult, especially for districts located in expensive real estate areas like Peralta, said Viveros-Walton.

“These are colleges that are located in areas that have some of the highest housing costs in the state, and in the country,” she said. “It’s one of the toughest markets to break into, especially in affordable housing.”

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