Cabrillo College – UCSC Student Housing
Fast, affordable, student-centered housing
- Client Cabrillo Community College and University of California, Santa Cruz
- Location Aptos, CA
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Size
257,500 sq ft
Beds: 624 - Completion Est. 2027
- Program Lobby, mail room, wellness center, fitness center, food commons, study lounge, quiet corners, bike center, laundry, leasing office, childcare, roof garden
- Delivery P3
- Awards Community College Facilities Coalition, Project in Design - Award of Merit (2025)
In one of the nation’s most unaffordable housing markets, Cabrillo College is delivering its first on-campus student housing. Enabled by state funding and an innovative public-private partnership with UC Santa Cruz and Greystar Development, the project establishes a new campus neighborhood where none existed before. Designed as a true 24/7 living environment, the project provides today’s community college students with apartment-style housing alongside childcare, wellness, dining, and academic services. Unit quality is consistent across both institutions, supporting students who are balancing work, caregiving, or being the first in their families to attend college.
Amenity-filled buildings wrap around bio-swale-lined courtyards. A hybrid structural system using mass timber and traditional wood framing enables longer spans and more daylight in common spaces, while extending the biophilic concept of the project, connecting dining and lounges to surrounding riparian zones. A roof deck overlooking the Pacific serves as central gathering and event space for all residents. Delivered on an accelerated schedule, the project establishes a replicable model for high-quality, well-designed affordable housing.
