COC’s Student Housing project meant to help low-income students in Lot 6, is no longer in operation.
Earlier this month, The College’s Board of Trustees announced its decision to return $62 million to the state.
That money was originally intended to build housing for full-time low-income students.
“For a grant we had been written in 2021… lots changed since 2021,” said Student Service Vice President Jasmine Ruys.
“Especially construction prices. So the cost of building the facility now would exceed the $61.8 million that they had given us,” said Ruys.
Jerry Danielsen discussed the decision to return the funds at a board meeting.
“When a student isn’t full-time anymore, they would have had to have been full-time. If they’re not full-time anymore, how do we deal with that,” said Jerry Danielsen, COC Board Trustee for Area 4.
“Maintenance issues like plumbing and electricity, all that kind of stuff plays into it. It was going to be way more money than you saw on paper,” said Danielsen.
While COC shared their reasons for returning the funds, COC’s Foundation members expressed frustration with the decision.
“Students that go to College of the Canyons. That would have served $200 per year.” Said Fred Arnold, COC Board Trustee Candidate Area 3.
“We need to start now putting our money where our mouth is. We’ll never see the $62 million. It’s gone. The plane has left the terminal,” said Arnold.
COC is looking for alternative solutions to help homeless students.
“Years ago, we had our homelessness task force,” said Ruys.
“We’ve decided we want to bring it back, and we’re calling it affordable student housing. And we’re going to focus on what can we do for our students for housing,” said Ruys.
“What’s out there that we haven’t even thought of? And so we definitely want everybody’s voice there,” said Ruys.
With the re-introduction of the Homelessness Task Force and it coming back to action to help many low-income students, we will have to see what is in store for them.
