New California's proposed law would let people live in their vehicles: Who would benefit?
California lawmakers are addressing the state's housing crisis by proposing a new law that would allow college students to sleep in their cars in campus parking lots.
California is grappling with a severe housing crisis, and state lawmakers are now proposing a new law aimed at providing some relief to homeless college students. Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a Democrat from Southern California, has introduced a bill that would allow students from community colleges and the California State University (CSU) system to sleep in their cars overnight in designed campus parking lots.
The bill follows the success of a pilot program initiated at Long Beach City College, where 70 homeless students were allowed to sleep in their vehicles on campus. This initiative also provided social services and mental health support to students in need. While the bill has already passed its first committee, it has sparked opposition from some educational institutions, which cite concerns over the logistical challenges and additional resources required to maintain such a program.
What it's the new proposed law in California about?
Assemblymember Corey Jackson, a Democrat from Southern California, has introduced a bill requiring community colleges and the California State University (CSU) system to implement a night parking program for students to sleep in their vehicles. "This simply addresses the harsh reality we face." Jackson said during a recent hearing, as reported by Politico.
The bill, which was approved by its first committee in March, seeks to provide an immediate solution to California's housing crisis while working on a long-term remedy. "We are in homelessness crisis, so every agency needs to do its part to help with this issue," Jackson stated.
The proposal is based on a successful pilot program run by Long Beach City College (LBCC), where 70 homeless students were allowed to sleep in their cars on campus. In addition to the parking, students received psychological support from social services.
California University opposes the new proposal
The initiative didn't pass easily in the Assembly's Higher Education Committee, where it garnered only six votes in favor, two against, and abstentions.
Community colleges and the CSU system have expressed opposition to the bill for two main reasons:
- Logistical challenges: There are concerns about the difficulty of clearing parking lots in time for morning use.
- Lack of resources: They warn that security, maintenance, and cleaning cost for the parking areas would significantly rise.
“Setting up a night parking program for students would require substantial financial and administrative resources to ensure students have a safe, clean, and secure place to sleep. Unfortunately, our universities lack these resources,” said Nune Garipian, policy manager at the California Community Colleges League, according to California Globe.
Iván Hernández, president of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, emphasized that no student would be required to sleep in their car. “We’re trying to make sure there’s a way for our students to feel safe during these tough times,” he stressed.