California college provides ‘safe’ overnight parking for homeless students

A California college is allowing homeless students to sleep in their cars on campus, even providing them with showers and Wi-Fi — but the school doesn’t consider that housing.

Long Beach City College’s Safe Parking Program provides “safe” overnight parking for students who live in their vehicles from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. in a parking lot next to the college’s campus safety building.

Benefits include access to restrooms, morning showers, Wi-Fi, referrals to long-term housing and financial assistance for driver’s license, registration and insurance.

“We’re not in the understanding that providing our students a safe place to park is providing them housing,” Justin Mendez, coordinator of Long Beach City College’s Basic Needs Program, which launched the initiative, told nonprofit news outlet CalMatters.

It’s a temporary solution while students get set up with longer-term housing. 

Housing is a big issue in California and at the state’s community colleges, three out of five students are “housing insecure,” while one out of four students is homeless, according to a Community College League of California report from September of 2023.

Housing insecurity can include an inability to pay rent or utilities or the need to move frequently.

Students at other California schools and advocates have pushed for similar initiatives elsewhere.

“We don’t need, nor ever asked for, bathrooms, showers or security,” Brad Butterfield, a California State Polytechnic University student who lives in his RV, told CalMatters.

“All we need is a place to park overnight.”

Legislation to replicate Long Beach City College’s safe parking program has failed to become law, according to CalMatters.