FOLSOM, Calif. — The amount of Folsom Lake College (FLC) students reporting housing insecurity was highest in recorded history during the 2023-24 school year — less than 1% of the population — but school officials say the number isn’t an accurate representation.
California Community Colleges’ online gateway, CCCApply, began collecting housing data in 2018. In the 2023-24 school year, approximately 73 students out of roughly 10,100 students at FLC, or 0.72%, reported they were experiencing homelessness.
“...We recognize that this number is underrepresented as there is a stigma around this,” said Kristy Hart, a FLC spokeswoman. “Also, if a student is couch surfing with friends (and) family or has people they can stay with, they do not consider themselves housing insecure and therefore don’t report themselves as ‘homeless.’ However, we know we have many students in this situation.”
At 73, the recorded unhoused student population is the highest it’s been in six years. Data is self-reported by students, as it is collected through an application process.
Since the start of data collection, the number has fluctuated considerably:
- In the 2018-19 school year, 43 students self-reported experiencing housing insecurity.
- From 2019-20, there were 31 students.
- From 2020-21, there were 32 students.
- From 2021-22, there were 19 students.
- From 2022-23, there were 34 students.
In six years, total student enrollment hovered around 8,700 to 10,100.
Hart said the college offers homeless students a two-week paid stay at one of seven participating Extended Stay America hotels in and around the Sacramento area.
A student must be actively enrolled in at least six units and have been awarded financial aid at FLC to qualify for the program.
Forty-six FLC students used the program within the last year, Hart said.
To request housing or any other basic needs resources, students can contact the Welcome & Student Success Center or submit a Housing Resource Request form online, she said.
She said FLC is also currently working with the Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART) of Folsom to start a long-term housing referral program for students, and the school hopes to have it running by the fall 2024 semester.
What other support is available to students?
FLC offers links to basic needs and economic support in a resource page on its website. There is a second webpage for family support.
The Folsom Cares program was created specifically to address basic needs barriers faced by students, according to the institution. It offers food, emergency funds, transportation, textbook and graduation gown assistance.
Other basic needs resources can be found HERE.
Folsom Lake College's CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) program is available; it’s a statewide public assistance program providing cash aid and services to eligible families with a child or children in the home.
Homeless students can fill out a housing resource request form, call 211 or contact Libby Cook, a faculty coordinator overseeing Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Cooperative Agencies Resource for Education (CARE) and NextUp, a foster youth support organization.
In 1969, Senate Bill 164 was enacted, which established EOPS within the California Community Colleges system, according to American River College (ARC). It’s a state-funded program offering educational support services and monetary awards to students historically excluded or underserved, the school said.
Student food cabinets are also available at FLC’s main campus, the El Dorado Center and the Rancho Cordova Center.
There are also available computer labs and contactless lockers.
