University of California, Santa Cruz graduate student Alexandra Stokes has regular nightmares about being rushed out of her apartment. Other nights she dreams about being locked out of her home because construction crews are demoing her building. She’s careful not to accumulate new items because they’ll just add to what she has to move. She’s questioned whether to hang a new poster on her wall and wants to replace her bed frame, but she’s not sure whether to hold off. 

Stokes, a doctoral candidate, knows her family of four will have to move eventually, but it’s unclear when. She’s among the residents who live in the university’s family student housing facility (commonly referred to as FSH), an aging 1970s building that’s slated for demolition after new housing is constructed. 

Santa Cruz has long been in a housing crisis, and the university is at the heart of the problem. Santa Cruz rents have risen sharply over the past decade, with the average rent cost in the city increasing from $2,898 in June 2018 to $3,448 in June 2026, according to Zumper data. Santa Cruz County is home to about 259,000 people, and renters must earn $81.04 an hour — five times the minimum wage, for a market-rate, two-bedroom apartment. 

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New student family housing on Hagar Drive in Santa Cruz. 

A rendering of new housing where family student housing currently sits on Heller Drive in Santa Cruz, Calif.

For people like Stokes, even though she’s guaranteed a home at a new facility when it’s constructed, the uncertainty is stressful. The unique student housing was somewhat of a haven for families. Their children attended a childcare facility in the complex together, and they gathered for potlucks and costume parties. Stokes loves the ocean views, beautiful trees and high ceilings. 

The new 120-unit family student housing development on Hagar Drive, which could be Stokes’ eventual home, is finally moving forward after construction delays. The university plans to relocate those students who want to move into the new building in phases this fall, beginning this week according to UC Santa Cruz spokesperson........

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