California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), East Los Angeles College (ELAC), and the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) announced on Tuesday the launch of the LA NEXT College Housing Partnership, a new intersegmental housing initiative that will provide eligible community college students with access to apartment-style housing and coordinated student support services on the Cal State LA campus beginning in August 2026.
For many students across East Los Angeles and neighboring communities, the path to a college degree is shaped not only by what happens in the classroom, but also by the cost of rent, long commutes, and challenging work schedules. In a region where housing costs weigh heavily on working students and families, this partnership is designed to provide students with stability, proximity, and a clearer path forward.
“Too many students in our region are doing everything right by showing up to class, working, helping their families, and still wondering how they are going to stay housed or make it to campus the next day,” said Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes. “This partnership responds to that reality by giving students the stability of a campus home, the support of a residential community, and a stronger bridge from community college to transfer to bachelor’s degree completion.”
Rooted in institutions that have long served East Los Angeles and Eastside communities, the partnership builds on a regional legacy in which educational opportunity, community pride, and upward mobility are deeply connected. Both Cal State LA and ELAC share a commitment to expanding access to higher education and supporting student success across the region.
“LA NEXT is the first step for the Cal State system. Cal State LA is setting a model for what could be possible at Northridge, Dominguez Hills, and other campuses,” said ELAC President Monte E. Perez during the May 26 signing ceremony. “That model is right here with us because our ELAC students are going to greatly benefit. We always known that once they get on this campus—the collegiate atmosphere and the interaction with four-year university students—they will indeed succeed and go on.”
Under the agreement, LACCD will lease student housing beds at Cal State LA over a five-year period, beginning with 56 beds in the inaugural year and expanding over time to meet student demand. Participating students will receive furnished apartment-style housing and access to support services designed to strengthen student well-being, belonging, and academic momentum.
The housing component aligns with Cal State LA’s existing apartment communities, which offer furnished units with kitchens, Wi-Fi, utilities, community spaces, and 24/7 assistance, along with access to campus dining, wellness resources, and broader student-support services.
District leaders said the initiative is designed to help students remain enrolled, supported, and on track to transfer and graduate.
“The LACCD Board of Trustees made a clear commitment to our students: housing instability will not determine whether a student succeeds,” said Sara Hernandez, board president of the Los Angeles Community College District. “Today’s agreement is the Board’s commitment made real. We are proud to stand alongside Cal State LA in demonstrating what is possible when two institutions put students first and work together to solve one of the defining challenges facing higher education in Los Angeles.”
“Our students come to us with ambition, resilience, and determination, and our job is to make sure that a lack of stable housing never stands between them and their goals,” said Alberto J. Román, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District. “This partnership means that a student at East Los Angeles College no longer has to choose between keeping a roof over their head and staying in school. We are moving with urgency, and this is exactly the kind of bold, practical action our students deserve.”
Cal State LA will oversee residential operations and campus housing administration, while ELAC and LACCD will provide student recruitment, advising, and support services tailored to participating students. The housing initiative is the first element of a broader LA NEXT framework that will include dual admission opportunities, transfer support, peer mentorship, advising, and coordinated student success services—creating a more connected and supportive pathway from community college enrollment to bachelor’s degree completion.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 260,000 distinguished alumni.
