SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif – Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) students moved into the new residence hall this fall, marking a major change for the institution and what it can offer for full-time students in a place where housing is often challenging.

Back in 2013, the college first considered the possibility for student housing—and through Measure F funds, partnerships and work with the state, LTCC began construction on housing ten years later. Now, after two years of construction, students can live in a building with access to kitchens, laundry and even storage for bikes and skis.

During the dedication ceremony on Oct. 2, superintendent and president Jeff DeFranco called the housing transformational and said, “The transformation is just beginning. This is a more than decade long dream that has become a reality. We’ve talked about the power of partnership, and this building is a symbol of that.”

Assistant vice chancellor for state and federal relations Linda Vazquez was a major player in getting the housing project underway, especially in securing funding. “It does take a village,” said Vazquez. “This is changing what it means to go to a California community college.”

Through the state, it ensures that the housing is affordable now and into the future. Double occupancy rooms are $500 a month, while single occupancy rooms are $795 a month. With 100 beds, accessible rooms, laundry and food service on campus, the housing ensures basic needs are met for the students. Some of the rooms are also reserved to provide emergency housing for students.

While creating the plans for the building, LTCC staff looked to Santa Rosa Junior College and Napa Valley College, which both have their own student housing. “It was great to get feedback from them about, for example, window designs and fume hoods in the kitchen,” said vice president of student services Michelle Batista. “Those were lessons learned that we got without having to make those mistakes.”

Student trustee and resident advisor Hudson Conners said that as someone who grew up in a different area, housing was a difficult barrier for him to overcome when he began attending LTCC. “Students who reside in this building will have easy access to happenings on campus,” said Conners, who is also on the cross country team. “It’s made it easier for me as an athlete to grab a meal before practice.”

Director of residential living John Shore has been hard at work helping to create community in the residence hall. “It’s at 95% capacity right now, we’re still filling up a few more spaces.” Shore has already kicked off the year with pancake breakfasts, hosted spaghetti and lasagna dinners, and is looking to host 30-minute meal trainings to help teach students how to cook.

Vazquez said, “This is a promise that our students’ dreams will not be deferred by wondering where they’ll sleep at night.”

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.