This project aims to better understand the landscape of legislation and advocacy that has occurred within the last decade. In recent years, basic needs have become a kitchen-table issue for millions of students in California. As the cost of living continues to rise in California, students are unable to meet their basic needs at an alarming rate. With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, large numbers of students found themselves in uncertain circumstances, with many facing homelessness and a lack of access to affordable foods. With this short outline of legislation that addresses food access and housing insecurity, we hope to provide a picture of two of the biggest basic needs in California. Beyond this portion, which also includes organizations that have sponsored or driven such legislation, we include a series of recommendations for the future. For these takeaways, we engaged in a series of interviews with higher education advocacy organizations to capture their perspective on what’s missing in this line of work.

A majority of California’s college students’ are struggling to meet their basic needs.1 This challenge has far-reaching implications for academic success, well-being, and long-term opportunity. As the cost of living continues to rise,23 more students find themselves struggling to secure basic necessities—such as food, stable housing, and access to essential support services—while navigating their academic responsibilities. In response, California has made significant strides45 over the past decade to address these issues, spearheading a range of legislative efforts designed to provide tangible support and alleviate the burdens that many students face. These efforts, fueled by a broad coalition of advocates, including student organizations, food justice groups, and higher education leaders, reflect a growing recognition that basic needs are not isolated challenges, but interconnected barriers that undermine students’ ability to succeed and thrive.