(a) In order to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth who are students at campuses of the California State University have stable housing, each campus of the California State University that maintains student housing facilities shall give priority to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth. In addition, each campus of the California State University that maintains student housing facilities open for occupation during school breaks, or on a year-round basis, shall first give priority to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth for residence in the housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round occupation and provide this housing to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth at no extra cost during academic or campus breaks, and next give priority to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth for housing that is open for occupation during the most days in the calendar year.

(b) In addition, each campus of the California State University is requested to develop a plan to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth can access housing resources as needed during and between academic terms, including during academic and campus breaks, regardless of whether the campus maintains student housing facilities.

(c) As used in this section, a “homeless youth” means a student under 25 years of age, who has been verified, in the case of a former homeless youth, at any time during the 24 months immediately preceding the receipt of his or her application for admission by a campus of the California State University, as a homeless child or youth, as defined in subsection (2) of Section 725 of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)), by at least one of the following:

(1) A homeless services provider, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 103577 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) The director, or his or her designee, of a federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs program.

(3) A financial aid administrator.

(d) For purposes of this section, a student who is verified as a former homeless youth pursuant to subdivision (c) shall retain that status for a period of six years from the date of admission.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 571, Sec. 3. (AB 1228) Effective January 1, 2016.)