College Focused Rapid Rehousing: An Integrated Approach to Student Housing Insecurity

ABSTRACT Housing insecurity and homelessness have serious consequences for college students, including barriers to academic success, positive mental health, and the ability to achieve a college education. To address this, the 2019 California Budget Act (AB 74) provided ongoing funding to university and college campuses in the state to create and implement College Focused Rapid Rehousing (CFRR) programs. A three‐year evaluation of the statewide CFRR program, led by the Center for Equitable Higher Education (CEHE), illustrated that access to housing and supportive CFRR staff positively impacted students’ academics, mental and physical health. Yet, concerns about long‐term housing stability remained due to the current housing market. Ultimately, the CFRR evaluation showed that a partnership between community‐based housing agencies and college campuses can be a collaborative and integrative model to address student housing insecurity.