Safe parking lots are emerging as a critical, temporary solution for the growing number of students in the United States without a stable place to live.
While colleges and cities grapple with housing shortages and rising costs, these programs offer a secure alternative for students currently sleeping in their vehicles.
At Long Beach City College (LBCC) in California, the Safe Parking Program transforms a campus lot into a sanctuary after 10:30 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. For students like Edgar Rosales Jr., a second-year student who spent over a year living in his sedan, the program provided more than just a parking spot. It offered access to Wi-Fi, bathrooms, and security guards who protected him rather than asking him to move.
Addressing Student Homelessness
Rosales, who returned to school decades after dropping out of high school, described the program as life-altering. Before finding the safe lot, he parked on city streets where he feared break-ins and police citations, according to the Hechinger Report.
The constant stress made it impossible to focus on his nursing studies. Once enrolled in the program, he could sleep soundly and use the lot's electricity and internet to complete his coursework.
The need for such programs is widespread. According to the Hope Center at Temple University, 48 percent of college students experience housing insecurity, and 14 percent have experienced homelessness. The issue affects students at both two-year and four-year institutions, with higher rates among Black students, parenting students, and former foster youth.
Similar initiatives are launching across the country to address this specific need. In Cincinnati, the public school system's Project Connect is developing a "Safe Sleep Lot" set to open in March 2026. This program will serve families with children in the district, providing a secure place to park overnight, The Guardian reported.
Taking Advantage of Parking Lots
Rebeka Beach, the program manager for Project Connect, noted that approximately 300 students in the district sleep outside or in vehicles. The new lot will provide families with security, bathrooms, and access to case workers who can help them transition to permanent housing. Beach emphasized that meeting basic survival needs is a prerequisite for education, stating that students cannot focus on learning when they are in "survival mode".
While administrators agree that parking lots are not a permanent fix, they serve as a necessary bridge. LBCC President Mike Muñoz, who experienced homelessness as a college student himself, pushed for the program to ensure students could bring their "full selves" to campus without the mental burden of hiding their living situation.
Programs like these often act as entry points, connecting students like Rosales to broader support networks, including rapid rehousing services that eventually help them move into apartments, as per WBUR.
