Housing

1. Research and create a referral list.

Create a list of off-campus housing options that might work for trans and non-binary students. Things to consider include:

  • Cost
  • Gender inclusive practices (i.e. single occupancy options, all-gender housing options, staff trained in trans and non-binary needs, all gender restrooms in common areas)
  • Distance to campus – and travel options for commute
  • Does not require affiliation with a particular religious group, a mandatory religious lesson, or any other religiously-affiliated action

In the meantime, provide additional services to homeless trans and non-binary students. This includes:

  • Laundry services, partnering with Athletics
  • Shower services, partnering with Athletics – ideally with all-gender and/or single occupancy options. Private, lockable shower spaces are much better than open shower rooms.

2. Partner with local organizations.

Partner with local shelters, hotels, transitional housing, low income housing options. Create MOUs or other formal agreements to house a specific number of trans and non-binary students. This could include a monetary exchange and/or an exchange of services (such as offering 2+ years of free education to other tenants including books and supplies, or running an educational program at that facility).

3. Build on- or near-campus housing for students.

Housing options should include single occupancy and all-gender options.

It is not enough to only allow trans and non-binary students to choose if they would be more comfortable living with cisgender men or women. There must be more inclusive and gender-affirming options.

Any housing option for trans or non-binary students must not cost more than that same option for cisgender students. 

The most universally-designed housing model would be for all students to have single living spaces. For instance, check out the Lotus Living Tiny Homes Project at Imperial Valley College! Be sure that they are accessible to people with various mobility needs!

In the event of needing to offer shared space, all students should be able to specify the name(s), gender(s), or other important characteristics of desired roommates, then housed according to compatible preferences.

The CCC Affordable Student Housing Project is currently underway, with state grant funds going to 21 CCCs to help create student housing. A third round of grant applications are currently under consideration. Be sure to connect with your housing project teams to ensure equitable housing structures and practices for trans and non-binary students!

Relevant Research

78% of trans and non-binary community college students in California reported housing insecurity in 2023, up from 65% in 2019. Housing insecurity in the Real College reports are defined as experiencing any level of uncertainty regarding housing, including but not limited to inability to afford rent or utilities, needing to move frequently, or staying in a place that is overcrowded or unsafe (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019; The RP Group and the the CEO Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce, 2023). 

64% reported homelessness in 2023, up from 37% in 2019, and nearly 2.5 times more than their cisgender peers (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019; The RP Group and the the CEO Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce, 2023).

Trans people experience higher rates of unsheltered homelessness because many shelters are divided along the gender binary. Trans people are often either denied access or forced to live in a shelter that does not align with their gender, which opens them up to discrimination and violence within those spaces (Grant et al., 2011; National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019)

The vast majority of homeless trans people currently live in California (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2019).