Housing development: density bonus: student housing developments

Developers can obtain additional building capacity by reserving more beds for lower- and moderate-income students, while cities and counties must provide the bonus when statutory conditions are met.

What the law does ​

• Updates rent caps for lower-income student beds: 65% of area median income for an efficiency unit for an unshared bedroom, or that amount divided by beds in a shared bedroom.
• Requires cities and counties to grant an added density bonus to eligible student housing in a campus development zone that reserves 24% of beds for lower-income students and adds moderate-income student beds.
• Caps the combined share of lower- and moderate-income student beds at 50% of total beds for the added-bonus option.
• Limits moderate-income student rent to 100% of the area median income efficiency-unit limit, divided among beds in a shared bedroom.
• Requires 55-year recorded affordability restrictions for the qualifying student beds and bars restrictions on lower-income students sharing a room or unit with higher-income students.
• Applies the requirements statewide, including in charter cities.

Who it affects ​

• Student-housing developers seeking density bonuses, regulatory concessions, development-standard waivers, or parking relief.
• Lower-income and moderate-income undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
• Cities, counties, and city and counties reviewing qualifying student-housing projects.
• Colleges, universities, and homeless-service providers that may verify student or homelessness status.