Across California, the housing crisis is ubiquitous. Headlines on the topic may go unnoticed as most coverage focuses on major cities like San Francisco and LA. This crisis, however, is affecting people in the Tri-Valley community.
On Dec. 11, 2024, the Alameda County Health Department sent out a press release informing the public of the 2024 Point in Time Homelessness Count report (PIT). This report is done every two years to break down the data of the homeless population within Alameda County.
According to previous PIT data, there were 35 more homeless individuals in Livermore in 2024 than there were in 2022. In this year’s report, the total sheltered and unsheltered 2024 homeless population came out to 277 people. For the purpose of the survey, “sheltered” means with some sort of protection such as a makeshift home or vehicle. The range of ages varied. People between ages 35 and 44 comprised the largest homeless population.
That is 277 people who may not have access to essentials, such as bathrooms, showers and kitchen facilities. For homeless students, this can make it difficult to attend classes, as it creates a social restriction that could cause embarrassment.
Las Positas College has been organizing resources to help students who are currently facing or at risk of homelessness. In 2019, the school created a community resource guide for students experiencing homelessness. Since then, the resources available to students have been expanded to a multitude of basic needs that can be found on the student resource guide website.
Photo information: Infographic courtesy of Alameda County Health. Livermore Point in time (PIT) 2024 Infographic
Listed in the resource guide was the ability to access facilities on campus. So long as a student is enrolled in a minimum of .5 units of coursework, they are allowed to utilize the shower facilities on campus. They can do so for as long as they are enrolled at LPC.
Another program for students facing homelessness, or at risk of facing it, is LPC’s CalWORKs. Through this program, a student with an underage child can be assigned a homelessness liaison that will assist them throughout their journey both academically and non-academically.
Other resources CalWORKs offers include career and academic advice from counselors in the CalWORKs office, job development, advocacy with the Department of Social Services for major county issues, and work-study programs on campus.
Despite the added support, there are still areas in which homeless students are at a disadvantage, such as parking on campus. In the PIT report for Livermore, 50% of homeless individuals were living in their car, RV, boat or some kind of vehicle. Students who live in their cars are unable to park on campus overnight for non-academic purposes such as sleeping, unlike other schools such as Long Beach City College, which has made their parking lot a refuge.
The parking administrative procedure for both LPC and Chabot College was reviewed on Feb. 21, 2023, and originally approved on March 18, 2014. While students and administration are allowed to park vehicles on campus overnight while on business with the college, it is specified that “no person shall sleep in or remain overnight in any vehicle parked on a college campus.”
Currently there is a housing resource page available for students on the LPC website. The site includes information on obtaining housing, such as building a housing resume, calculating income and picking roommates.
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TOP PHOTO: Student shopping at the LPC mini market. The mini market, which is a part of the Basic Needs program, is a free resource for all Las Positas students. (Photo by Lizzy Rager/ The Express)
Mel Llamas is the Opinions Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @MM_Llamas
