Overview

Female student drinking a cup of coffee in the kitchen of a student housing living space. Photo courtesy of South Puget Sound Community CollegeThis study responds to a legislative directive to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of building low-income student housing on Washington’s community and technical college campuses.

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) partnered with ECOnorthwest, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Puget Sound, Bora Architects, DCW Cost Management, and an advisory taskforce to produce this study.

Specifically, this study sought to:

  • Assess rental housing markets around each college including metrics related to need for low-income student housing, direct stakeholder engagement with campus staff, and an assessment of how new low-income student housing may affect local rental markets.
  • Explore potential campus land that could be used for housing development.
  • Examine the capital and operating costs of new student housing.
  • Identify potential priorities and policy recommendations for consideration by the State Legislature, community and technical colleges, and SBCTC.

This study builds on existing and ongoing research and awareness about basic needs insecurity among Washington’s community and technical college students. Results of the latest statewide survey are documented in the 2025 Basic Needs Security report. The findings show that over half of students in Washington’s public colleges experience food or housing insecurity, with disproportionate burdens among low-income students, parenting students, students of color, veterans, and former foster youth.

Key Findings

Thirty-eight percent of community and technical college students face housing insecurity with disproportionate impacts on specific student subpopulations. In the majority of rental markets analyzed in this study, students were more likely to be cost-burdened than the general renter population. In urban areas such as King County and Pierce County, rents have far outpaced incomes. In rural communities, a key challenge is often the scarcity of rental units rather than price.

Students are navigating private rental markets that do not meet their needs. In many communities, available units are priced well above what students can afford. Rental requirements, such as demonstration of stable income or rental history and large up-front payments, make technically “affordable” units out of reach to some students. Background and credit checks increase barriers for students, especially those with a history of justice involvement or living in poverty. Longer-term lease requirements do not meet housing needs of students who need short-term housing near technical programs.

Every college had need for low-income student housing, although not every college has capacity in terms of space, capital, or infrastructure to approach this need by growing college-owned housing – for some the best path forward may be community-based advocacy or other partnership models and seeking policy changes that would improve housing access for students.

The study’s analysis of estimated capital and ongoing costs to operate and maintain low-income student housing​ revealed the limitations of existing capital funding models for student housing development. Development of additional campus housing would likely require either access to subsidy for housing development or subsidy for renters, especially if the objective is to serve low-income students.

Developing and operating more campus housing is not the right solution for every college, but this study report identifies barriers that could be addressed and offers considerations and other potential pathways to improve housing security for students. The study and its appendices provide tools and resources, (such as college-specific market data sheets, baseline design models and cost assessment, a qualitative study of student housing needs and example innovations, and actionable recommendations) that may serve a range of ongoing and future housing initiatives.

Recommendations

The State Legislature plays a key role in unlocking funding, removing policy barriers, and enabling the financial tools needed to make student housing feasible and affordable. 

Recommendations:

  • Expand access to capital funding for student housing development
  • Remove structural barriers that prevent students from securing stable housing
  • Strengthen policy and operations to support student housing sustainability
  • Expand site readiness, land access, and partnerships for student housing

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) plays a critical leadership role in addressing student housing needs across Washington’s 34 community and technical colleges. SBCTC already coordinates systemwide initiatives, administers housing-related grants and student support programs, delivers technical assistance for contracts and capital planning, and ensures that basic needs strategies align with equity and enrollment goals.

Moving forward, SBCTC can work to coordinate systemwide efforts, deliver technical assistance, manage shared data, and champion policy reforms that reflect student realities.

Community and technical colleges are on the front lines of addressing student housing insecurity. While many institutions lack adequate capital funding or rental subsidies, especially to support low-income students, they hold essential levers such as land, partnerships, operational flexibility, and proximity to students.

Colleges can play a catalytic role by integrating housing into long-range planning, adopting student-centered financial practices, and building local collaborations that expand access and reduce risk. These actions are especially critical in regions where the private market is unaffordable or unwelcoming to student renters.

Contacts

Laura Coghlan
Program Administrator, Student Services and K-12 Alignment
lcoghlan@sbctc.edu
360-704-4316


Darrell Jennings
Capital Budget Director, Business Operations
djennings@sbctc.edu
360-704-4382