"The focus should be the homeless population obviously to get them housed and then people would be putting in reservations for those facilities as well and they would be situated as needed," explained Marcos Rodriguez, executive director of facilities and operations for Bakersfield College.Although college officials know the 154 beds in this apartment complex will not cover all the students in need, they hope it makes a difference for the eligible students."These will be open 12 months of the year so our students will have a place to go to every day and so I think that's a very positive thing and for the security and safety and the continuity of their studies as well," says Rodriguez.The plans laid out are for the complex to be more than just a living area."Not only will this be a housing facility, but we will also have a food pantry operation there as well. There may be the possibility of a wellness center and being situated within that will be help for students with their medical needs as well. So there's going to be a myriad of programs," finished Rodriguez.READ ALSO: CSUB Emergency Housing Program helps students in needHomeless students are not that uncommon and it’s not an issue exclusive to Bakersfield College. The Hope Center released a study back in 2019 that showed 60 percent of California community college students had housing insecurity the previous year and about 19 percent were homeless. These are often emancipated former foster care students, veteran students, or first-generation college students.Bakersfield College conducted a survey in 2020 that showed over 100 enrolled students were experiencing homelessness, which has an impact on student’s academic success."My friend previously she's always had really good grades and when she, you know, for some reason or another found herself homeless her grades went down you know and she kind of had like mental breakdowns. She was just like 'I don't know if I can do this because I don't know where I'm gonna sleep tomorrow' or 'I don't know what I'm gonna do' you know. So it really sucks seeing her like that knowing that iImean school is all she had," added Garcia.Garcia added this is exciting news for the future generations at BC and just hopes undocumented students are also eligible as they know many who because of their status face even more barriers to obtaining a higher education.The project is still in the very early stages, with construction expected to start next summer and be completed in about 18 months, making 2025 a tentative opening year. BC doesn't have an estimate yet of how much each unit will cost.They do have a survey online to get student input on their needs regarding this affordable housing project.More Education News Coverage from 23ABC, Explore Bakersfield College's housing resources, including local listings, emergency shelters, and support for students facing housing challenges., Bakersfield College is expanding its campus experience with the construction of a student housing project. This will provide a convenient and affordable living option for many students..