Lake Tahoe Community College president presents 100‑bed affordable student housing as a model for California community colleges

Lake Tahoe Community College President Jeff De Franco onstage at a California Community Colleges conference described the college’s new 100‑bed student housing project and urged other community colleges to consider similar, student‑ready designs.

De Franco said the on‑campus building, which opened to students this fall after roughly two years from groundbreaking, provides primarily double‑occupancy rooms at about $500 per bed and a small number of single rooms that cost more. He said the project was funded in part through state support tied to the 2022 budget act and local partnerships and that accelerated scheduling and local environmental rules made delivery challenging but possible.

“It's not about bricks, it's about winning for students,” De Franco said, describing the facility as “a million‑dollar view for a $500 rent.” He framed the project as an effort to preserve access and completion for students in a housing‑constrained region of the Tahoe Basin.

Why it matters: De Franco positioned LTCC’s experience as a demonstration that community colleges can plan, fund and operate affordable student housing. He noted that some in Sacramento initially questioned whether community colleges were “ready” for this work; LTCC leaders lobbied for inclusion of eligible community college projects in the state budget and delivered the completed facility, he said.

Funding and politics: De Franco credited “the state Department of Finance, the Governor’s Office and the Chancellor’s Office” with stepping up to support community college housing and described campus leaders’ advocacy after a spring 2022 round that left some eligible projects unfunded. He said LTCC joined other presidents in asking Sacramento to fund eligible, not‑funded projects during a period of state surplus, and argued that the college demonstrated it could execute on a shovel‑ready project.

Construction and regulatory constraints: Building at Lake Tahoe required a compressed construction season. De Franco said local environmental rules limit earthmoving to May 15–Oct 15, and that crews built through snow and worked to sequence inspections and punch‑list work so students could move in by Aug. 1. He also cited Tahoe Regional Planning Agency height limits that restricted buildings to two stories on this site, shaping the building form.

Design and operations: The two‑story, roughly 100‑bed building emphasizes adjacency to existing campus services (library, student center) so the college avoided duplicating amenities. De Franco described two main room types: predominantly double‑occupancy “quad” configurations sharing a bifurcated restroom (separate shower and toilet rooms to improve simultaneous use), and about 10 single rooms. He said LTCC intentionally connected housing to campus services and extended library and fitness hours to support resident needs.

De Franco outlined operational choices intended to reduce conflict and improve student experience: a resident director who lives on site, three RAs (one named Hudson), a dedicated full‑time custodian for the building, keycard access, multiple security cameras in public spaces and an on‑site laundry room. “Having a full‑time permanent employee living on‑site does make a huge difference,” he said.

Food and basic‑needs supports: LTCC uses a 2x4 meal model (lunch and dinner Monday–Thursday, noon–7 p.m.) and provides kitchenettes in rooms to allow basic food preparation outside meal hours. The college partnered with Pacific Dining for campus meals and installed vending that can be stocked via a basic‑needs ID so students can receive items at low or no cost. De Franco said many students find the combined model—meal plan plus kitchenette—more affordable and flexible. He gave an example cost frame: students pay roughly $100 a week for the meal plan, which he estimated about $1,200 over a quarter when combined with other supports; financial aid is bundled so aid can be applied directly to housing and meal fees.

Residents and programs: De Franco said all residents are California residents and that about half of the residents participate in the college’s Promise Program (a multi‑year tuition support program); roughly a third of residents are first‑generation students, about 15% are student athletes, and LTCC reserved beds for previously incarcerated students through Rising Scholars funds. He emphasized that housing is a completion tool rather than a lifetime benefit: students are guaranteed two years of housing, with a possible third year subject to review.

Lessons for other community colleges: De Franco urged campuses to “be student ready” before adding housing—ensuring basic‑needs services, extended facilities hours, transportation and staffing to operate a 24/7/365 building. He recommended considering short‑term master leases as an interim strategy, designing shared services into housing (community kitchens, study nooks) rather than duplicating expensive amenities, and building in custodial and residential staffing from the start.

A few implementation details De Franco highlighted: the college designated parcel lockers and mailboxes for each resident, provided secure bike and skateboard parking, and planned a wellness hub stocked with naloxone, fentanyl test strips and condoms. He also noted donor support (a campus art installation from Burning Man donors) paid for some non‑housing features.

De Franco closed by inviting conference attendees to visit LTCC (the college left one room available for visitors) and by offering a QR code for a post‑event survey. He framed the project as early proof that community colleges can deliver affordable student housing when supported by leadership, state funding and careful operational planning.

Sources: Presentation by Jeff De Franco, president, Lake Tahoe Community College (California Community Colleges conference).