UC leaders approve construction of new residence hall at UC Davis. Here’s when it could open

UC Davis will begin construction on a new residence hall for student housing slated to open in fall 2027, the University of California Board of Regents announced on Friday.

The $100 million project will be constructed in the Segundo area of ​​UC Davis’ campus and is expected to house around 500 first-year undergraduate students. It comes as part of the university’s efforts to house around half of its Davis-based students, following its 2018 commitment to the city of Davis and its own long-term goals.

The site of the planned complex currently consists of two parking lots, although one of the parking lots will be returned to parking use after construction is completed.

The university provided housing for 38% of its undergraduate and graduate students as last fall, when it opened its Orchard Park apartment complex with space for 1,500 students. The majority of remaining students live off-campus in Davis, where housing vacancy is limited and rent prices have increased over the past decade.

According to the 2022 Joint Annual Housing Report between the university, Davis, and Yolo County, 16.6% of renter households in Davis from 2015 to 2019 were cost-burdened, and 39.4% were severely cost-burdened.

In its 2018 memorandum of understanding with Davis and Yolo County, the university promised to construct student housing and help invest in transportation and traffic improvement.