With 67% of Los Angeles Community College District students facing housing insecurity, Pierce College and the district are working to provide solutions. In March, the LACCD put out a request for proposals for housing providers, moving closer to offering low-cost housing to homeless and housing insecure students.
“Stable housing is fundamental to student success. This is one of many major investments in our students, fulfilling our commitment to addressing housing challenges,” said LACCD Chancellor Alberto J. Román in a statement. “The housing program takes a flexible, strategic approach to meet student needs while maintaining the District’s long-term financial health.”
The Brahma Bodega and the Basic Needs Program provide students with food and housing resources, with other student services available. Additionally, Pierce is making efforts to offer housing on or around the campus for students.
Pierce President Ara Aguiar shared that the college is looking to partner with institutions such as California State University, Northridge, due to its proximity to Pierce.
“What we’re doing is other alternative things and even talking to CSUN about how we could work, because they know how to do student housing at CSUN, and even having students stay in the dorms at CSUN, what could be something that a partnership that we can establish,” Aguiar said. “A lot of colleges have done that. I think Compton College did with Dominguez Hills, and so we can do the same thing with CSUN.”
There are different ways Pierce could partner with CSUN. Aguiar mentioned they can discuss finding a way for students to use the facilities and housing at CSUN. One of the ideas she mentioned was a partnership allowing Pierce students to be dual-enrolled to give students access to the housing and facilities.
Brahma Bodega Coordinator Geremy Mason explained how students’ needs are met by Pierce’s programs.
“We actually have a housing navigator that works with a specific demographic of students,” Mason said. “If the students meet the demographic requirements for working with that agency, we always refer out to them first, because they’re a direct partnership that we have.”
According to Mason, students with housing concerns are referred to LA Family Housing and Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, which are both services that provide housing for those in need. LA Family Housing is more specific to students who are parents and have families, while Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission is for students who are over 18 with no dependents.
Public Health major Emma Rose Merino-Garcia shared her thoughts on how housing for students is important.
“Having the proper help, like housing, will drastically change to fully focus on their education, giving them one less thing to worry about,” Merino-Garcia said. “I believe everyone deserves an equal chance to thrive in a higher education.”
