Sacramento State searches for partners to expand student housing outside campus
Sacramento State is looking for potential developers to launch a new student housing facility outside of campus.
The university is looking for student housing opportunities within a 3-mile radius of campus, said Nadine Kelley, the executive director of housing services. She said a crucial element of this partnership is affordability and safety, especially as the university’s population grows.
Sacramento State announced it would be opening a request for proposal to affiliate properties last fall. Kelley said the university is seeking multiple partnership as it expands student housing to serve its growing population. Sacramento State has more than 31,000 students, according to university data.
“One of the biggest things for us was the RFP was more competitive in a procurement process, and we really weren’t looking for just one partner,” Kelley said. “We weren’t looking to just award one person this opportunity.”
The university is searching for local partners and developers to broaden its housing options, Kelley said.
Sacramento State to expand housing
In the fall 2026 semester, Sacramento State will begin its mandatory live-on-campus requirement for freshmen. With that, it’s first-year living facility, North Village, will be at capacity. Kelley estimates the incoming freshman class will take up seven of North Village’s eight buildings.
She added that the university is building a new residence hall, Mount Whitney Hall, to accommodate this requirement in the fall. This hall will have 335 beds for its freshman.
Sacramento State is also expanding its upper division housing facilities, including a new building known as Hornet Place. Planned for the south side of campus, Hornet Place will open in 2027 and is another Greystar property for the university. Sacramento State currently partners with Greystar on Hornet Commons, which opened in 2022 with 1,100 beds.
But despite the addition of Hornet Commons, Kelley said the university still has student housing waitlists. As a result, Kelley said Sacramento State began to look at housing opportunities “beyond the property of the institution.”
“We’re really trying to model some things some off our peer institutions so that we can provide ongoing, affordable housing that extends experiences that students have on campus,” Kelley said.
These efforts are a part of the university’s ongoing goal to expand assistance for students living at non-campus associated facilities, Kelley said. She explained that the university housing has not been able to help students with roommate arrangements, mediation and landlord challenges because they lacked authority.
However, with an affiliated agreement, Sacramento State could aid its students better, Kelley said. For example, students living in North Village can receive tutoring and academic advising. She said an affiliated agreement would provide an opportunity for similar support for students.
“We’ve heard from students that other properties that are not associated with us, sometimes they come to us for support, but we don’t have jurisdiction,” Kelley said. “We’re not able to provide them assistance ... because we don’t have jurisdiction. But an affiliated agreement, it will offer us more of a collaborative opportunity.”
