This fall Fresno State will break ground on a new affordable student housing project, the first major housing initiative at Fresno State since 1968.

This project will add 228 apartment-style beds to the portfolio for Fresno State Student Housing.

The new 80,000-square-foot building, located on the corner of Shaw and Cedar avenues, will be four stories high and include 1-4 bedroom units. It will also offer a limited number of apartments for students with children.

“With the construction of our last new student housing buildings 56 years ago, this project is long overdue,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, president of Fresno State. “It’s important to recognize the unique challenges these students face on their path to obtaining a transformational college education. Providing affordable housing for student-parents is being intentional about student success.”

More than 700 Fresno State students requested priority registration, a benefit available to student-parents. Nationally, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has found that about 20% of college students have children.

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Housing Project Details

The building is planned to be completed in summer 2026, with fall 2026 being the target move-in date for students.

The project is being funded by an affordable student housing grant from the state for $33.7 million and about $20 million of funding through California State University systemwide revenue bonds that will be the responsibility of the California State University, Fresno Association, Inc. to repay over the life of the bonds.

The CSU Board of Trustees approved the schematic design in July 2023, and financing approval is scheduled for the CSU Board of Trustees’ November meeting.

The family units will have two bedrooms with a kitchen and living room. Housing will provide child-friendly flooring and furniture. The new building will also feature an outdoor play structure and a family gathering area within one of the first-floor common spaces. Each floor of the new building will have laundry facilities.

“We are excited for this new affordable housing building for Fresno State students,” said Erin Boele, director of Student Housing at Fresno State. “Students who live in the residence halls average a 3.1 grade point average and graduate sooner than those who live off campus.”

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Housing Capacity Will Increase to 1,543 Beds

With the new building’s 228 beds, Student Housing’s capacity will increase to a total of 1,543 beds across 10 buildings, when the new project is complete.

This semester, in response to high demand for on-campus housing, Student Housing increased capacity by converting some double rooms into triple occupancy. This adjustment enables more students to stay on campus and enjoy the associated amenities, programming, and learning communities. Once the new building opens, some triple-occupancy rooms may revert to double occupancy, potentially reducing overall housing capacity.

Fences began to go up at the beginning of August, with pre-construction mobilization starting during the fall semester for the new building construction.

To prepare for this construction project, effective Aug. 1, parking Lot P27 will only be available for students who live in Student Housing. Students must have a resident parking permit displayed on their dashboard as proof of residency. This permit will only be permissible for use in Lot P27.