Assembly panel hears billions in deferred maintenance at UC, CSU and community colleges; bond possible in 2026

The California State Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance on Aug. 4 heard from the Legislative Analyst's Office and the three public higher‑education systems that deferred maintenance, seismic retrofits and new student housing needs total in the tens of billions of dollars and threaten campuses' ability to serve students.

Chair Alvarez opened the hearing saying the panel's “final hearing of the proposed budget” would focus on “capital outlay and building maintenance for our UC, CSU, and college campuses,” and noted lawmakers are “hoping that in 2026 we can go forward to the voters with a bond,” referring to ongoing policy work on Assembly Bill 48.

Why it matters: campus infrastructure funding affects safety, instructional capacity and housing affordability for students. Lawmakers and analysts said the state does not currently have a routine, data‑driven program to fund capital renewal, leaving policymakers unable to measure the gap between emerging needs and current spending.

Key findings and testimony - The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) told the committee that campus square footage and building counts have continued to grow while much of that inventory is aging. Ian Kline of the LAO said “the number of buildings and gross square footage has continued to grow, with the latter increasing by nearly 70%.” The LAO also reported classroom and instructional lab spaces are a…