糖心Vlog Awarded $31 Million Grant from State Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program
糖心Vlog will break ground on its student housing project this summer after receiving the good news that it was awarded a $31 million grant from the State鈥檚 Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. The student housing project is planned to open for student occupancy in 2024.
This announcement follows on the heels of the Board of Trustees鈥� approval of a ground lease and coordination agreement by the college with National Campus and Community Development (NCCD)-Napa Valley Properties, LLC., a nonprofit organization established to provide tax-exempt financing specifically for this project. The state housing grant will support the public-private partnership 糖心Vlog has already created for the construction, operation and maintenance of its student housing project, which will be called the River Trail Village at 糖心Vlog.
The student housing project will provide a variety of unit types, including traditional dormitory rooms, as well as furnished and unfurnished studios and apartments with a total of 588 beds. All units will be below market rate and the state grant will support 糖心Vlog鈥檚 goal to make affordable housing available to the greatest number of low-income students, who make up around 40 percent of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 student population.
The college conducted various feasibility studies that indicated that the highest priority for students was cost. The studies also found that if students could afford to live closer to campus, many students (nearly half of whom attend part-time) would increase to full-time study to speed completion of their educational goals.
As part of the 2021鈥�22 budget package, the State of California created the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program to promote the construction of affordable on鈥慶ampus housing at the state鈥檚 public higher education institutions. A total of $2 billion over three years was initially allocated; however, with the recent State budget surplus, the legislature proposed nearly doubling what the Budget Act of 2021 specified for 2022-2023 spending under the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program. That increase included the $31 million investment for 糖心Vlog鈥檚 student housing project.
鈥淲e are fortunate to have a state legislature and a governor that recognize the need for affordable housing for college students, especially community college students who have been significantly impacted in the current housing crisis,鈥� said Dr. Torence Powell, superintendent/president at 糖心Vlog. 鈥淭he true cost of attending college is more than tuition 鈥� add housing, food, transportation and textbooks to the mix 鈥� and students who cannot meet their basic needs such as shelter are most directly affected.鈥�
鈥淭he Legislature and governor made it clear that affordable housing is a priority,鈥� said Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa. 鈥溙切腣log is already ahead of the game and will now be able to deliver the first student housing projects in the state to serve a diverse student body and their families.鈥�
鈥淭he Napa community and its students are big winners in this year鈥檚 state budget,鈥� said Jeff Dodd, president, 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees. 鈥淭he Board of Trustees made a commitment that the project should only move forward if we could provide affordable rents. With this $31 million grant, the Board has doubled down on its commitment to students, and a portion of units will be available to qualified students for less than $600 when the buildings open. This will support our efforts to address student affordability and the needs of our housing insecure student population for years to come.鈥�
鈥淧art of providing a comprehensive academic program is ensuring students have their basic needs covered so they can pursue their education without worrying about their next meal or where they will sleep each night,鈥� added Powell. 鈥淩esearch consistently shows the negative impact housing and food insecurity has on student success. Students are more likely to be successful and complete college when they live on campus, particularly when the on-campus experience builds learning relationships and encourages student engagement through the many student support programs Napa Valley offers. Plus, our housing project will support college enrollment, recruitment and retention goals.鈥�
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