February 28, 2025

Mendocino College Announces the Purchase of Property for Future Student Housing

Ukiah, CA – Mendocino College is pleased to announce the purchase of a property at the corner of Perkins and Main Streets in downtown Ukiah, marking the first phase of a multi-year initiative to develop future student housing. This project aims to increase the availability of affordable housing for students and support the local community.

The acquisition of this property is made possible through the generous support from the Mendocino College Foundation and its dedicated donors. The Foundation provided the funding to purchase the property from Redwood Credit Union, and will continue to support the project with additional multi-million dollar contributions for the construction phase. The Foundation has a long-standing commitment to stewarding funds responsibly to support the long-term needs of students, and this project is a testament to their role as a trusted donor partner.

"The Mendocino College Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that donor dollars are used effectively to support the long-term needs of our students," said Julie McGovern, Executive Director of the Mendocino College Foundation. "This project is a perfect example of how we can make a lasting impact on our students' lives and the community."

Student housing at California community colleges offers several benefits, including improved academic performance, stability, and addressing broader housing shortages. Studies show that students who live near campus tend to have higher GPAs and are more likely to graduate. Affordable student housing provides stability, allowing students to focus on their education without the stress of housing insecurity. By offering student housing, community colleges help address broader housing shortages in their communities, contributing to socioeconomic mobility.

Mendocino-Lake Community College District has been investigating options to construct student housing since 2018. In 2022, we received an affordable housing planning grant, part of SB 196, from the California Department of Finance. A student housing feasibility study was completed in 2022-2023, which included a survey of currently enrolled students. Key findings of the survey were:

  • 97% of students think student housing would be important for retention and recruitment.
  • 44% of students currently enrolled less than full-time would enroll full-time if Ukiah offered student housing.
  • Over 8% of students are housing insecure, including homelessness, inability to pay rent or utilities, frequent moves, or residing in unsafe conditions.
  • There is an acute shortage of rentals in Ukiah, with rental vacancy rates at 2.8%.
  • 75% of housing units in unincorporated Mendocino County are single-family (detached), while only 3% are multi-family (2-4 units) and 3% are multi-family (5+ units).

"We conducted extensive studies to identify the housing needs of our students and determined that a downtown Ukiah location was the best option," said Tim Karas, President/Superintendent of Mendocino College. "This particular location will provide students with access to downtown services as well as easy transportation to the college campus."

In July 2023, a competitive grant application was submitted to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office to fund a $54M 110-bed student housing project in Ukiah. Although our project was not funded in the 2024/2025 California State Budget, we remain committed to making progress. A historic milestone was achieved in February 2025 with the Mendocino College Foundation purchasing a parcel of land for future student housing. With this critical step, we can move forward to investigate all funding options available to move the project forward.

"We are excited to take this important step towards addressing the housing needs of our students," said Rose Bell, Director of Communications at Mendocino College. "We are committed to being a good community partner and will keep the community informed throughout the project's development."

We are proactively collaborating with the City of Ukiah to find effective parking solutions, and address any concerns about high-density housing downtown. We are committed to transparency and want to set realistic expectations: construction is anticipated to begin in a few years as we continue to secure the necessary funding for the project.

Mendocino College is dedicated to maintaining open communication with the community and ensuring that this project benefits both students and local residents. We look forward to a time when our student housing residents will bring vibrancy to the city core, support local businesses by shopping at nearby stores, dining at cafes and restaurants, and utilizing services within walking distance from their housing. As students pursue their education, they will contribute to the overall strength and vitality of our county.