Housing insecurity among community college students is more than double rate of UC, CSU students, audit finds

New findings from the state's Legislative Analyst's Office show that more than half of California’s community college students have faced housing insecurity over the past 12 months. And about a quarter of those nearly 2 million students have experienced homelessness. Because they’re more affordable than four-year institutions, students from low-income backgrounds often choose to launch their higher ed journeys at community colleges. Students who experience homelessness report lower GPAs and drop out at higher rates than their peers. The LAO report, largely based on survey data from 2023, digs into the current results of state programs designed to address housing and basic needs services.