New Construction Promotes Housing Security at Cal State Long Beach

Cal State Long Beach recently broke ground on a new five-story, 424-bed residence hall.

The 108,000-square-foot residence hall, La Playa (Spanish for “The Beach”), comprises three towers named Tides, Palm, and Sands. The $115 million construction project is part of the Long Beach House Promise, a five-year program aimed at ensuring quality, affordable housing availability for residents, students, and families of students in Long Beach.

Dr. Jane Close Conoley“La Playa Hall has been strategically designed as a safe, supportive residential environment that fosters student access and success by cultivating community- and relationship-building, academic achievement, and college satisfaction and persistence,” said Cal State Long Beach President Dr. Jane Close Conoley. “With the aging of our current housing facilities and an ever-growing student-housing waitlist, the creation of additional — and affordable —on-campus housing is a high priority for The Beach.”

The project, to be completed by the fall of 2026, is partly funded by California Senate Bill 183, which seeks to increase the availability of affordable student housing statewide. The Beach was awarded $53 million and was one of seven California State University campuses competitively selected to receive funding.

“With the rising cost of housing in the area and the post-pandemic desire for our students to have the full college experience, our demand for on-campus housing has exceeded our housing capacity for the past several years, and that demand is increasing each year,” said Corry Colonna, executive director of housing and residential life at Cal State Long Beach. “This project helps us to provide for the demand and puts us in a stronger position to help students with the greatest need for a roof over their head.”