Community Colleges Need Student Housing, Too

Larsen: “While community colleges may lack resources to construct and manage on-campus housing, these challenges can be addressed in creative ways that allow the institution to profit from investing in this type of project.”

COSTA MESA, CA—Student-housing demand is up as community colleges strategically begin to add affordable on-campus housing options, MVE + Partners principal Jeff Larsen tells GlobeSt.com. Orange County alone is home to 18 accredited community colleges serving nearly 200,000 students. Record-high rents and home prices are driving up the cost of living in this county, and for local students—or those seeking Orange County as a destination for higher education—these factors are just a few of the challenges they have to face in addition to increased tuition rates.

We spoke with Larsen, who is lead designer on the development team for Orange Coast College student housing, about what is driving this trend and what design challenges and solutions look like for community-college student housing.