Thanks to new housing options and opportunities to build community, the value of living on campus goes far beyond the short stroll from bedroom to classroom
Story by Matt Itelson
Illustration by Gabi Tylenda
Imagine walking from bed to class in your pajamas. A near-zero commute is just one of the reasons that living on the SFSU campus translates to academic success and a fast track to graduation.
Many aspects of SFSU residential life have changed over the decades. New buildings with modern amenities have transformed the campus. Lava lamps and blacklight posters have given way to window displays made of Post-it Notes. And the University has stepped up its services to students who live on campus.
“Folks are motivated with school. Everybody’s main goal is to get through school,” says Josue Mendez, a Kinesiology major who has lived in two of the residential communities at SFSU. “We give each other lots of help to succeed. I’ve never gotten an unwelcome feeling here.”
The newest residential community on campus, West Grove Commons, opened fall 2023. It stands alongside a new dining hall and health center.
SFSU now guarantees campus housing for all freshman students. All units are all-inclusive: fully furnished with Wi-Fi and utilities. They also offer exclusive student services, study spaces and shorter lease terms than the standard 12-month duration on the rental market. This makes SFSU the best deal for students in the pricey Bay Area. Living in close quarters also creates a type of social life that cannot be found off campus.
Mendez, from Sacramento, says he has met most of his friends through living on campus. When he isn’t playing basketball at the Mashouf Wellness Center, he and his friends enjoy sharing music, food and trips on public transit to the Haight-Ashbury, downtown and other parts of San Francisco.
“You get a lot of community,” Mendez says. “Just roam the halls and people have their doors open playing music. I’ve been introduced to music I never thought I’d like. It’s just magical.”
SFSU research has found that students who live on campus are more likely to take additional units each semester. Their four-year graduation rate is 58% higher than students who live off campus. Additionally, first-year students who live on campus achieve a grade-point average 10% higher.
Based on a new survey of SFSU students and families compiled by Know Research and Lexicon & Line, more than two-thirds of first-year and returning residents find that living on campus has improved their academics. More than three-fourths of parents state that living on campus has improved their students’ academics.
The survey also finds that safety is the No. 1 priority for parents. SFSU is equipped with security, including 24/7 availability for University police and Residential Life staff, key access to all residential buildings, lighted pathways, emergency phones and a free accompanied safe- walking service.
“At San Francisco State University, you can have peace of mind knowing that your student is in a safe living and learning environment where they are poised to grow professionally and personally,” says Jeny V. Patiño, associate vice president for Housing, Dining and Conference Services. “With a scenic location just one mile from the beach and free public transit throughout the Bay Area for students, a world of opportunity awaits outside your door.”
A reduced-rate student housing program for first-time freshmen launched last year. The first program of its kind in the CSU system, it provides reduced rates for 725 students in any of the residential communities available to first-time freshmen who meet the qualifications to receive a Cal Grant A or B financial aid award.
SFSU’s Residential Communities
Manzanita Square, built in 2020, is a mixed community for sophomore, junior and senior continuing residents interested in staying on campus year-round. This community offers apartment-style living: private bathrooms, full kitchen and a living and dining area, with single and double occupancy available. The eight-story building also features lounge and study spaces, a gym and a courtyard.
The Towers at Centennial Square is a 16-story high- rise with one- and two-bedroom suites for freshmen and sophomores. (Availability for freshmen is limited.) Rooms are single, double or triple occupancy with two bathrooms, kitchenette and a living and dining area.
West Grove Commons opened in fall 2024. The six-story building for freshmen covers 120,000 square feet and features traditional residential hall living with three students per unit. Each floor is designed “pod-style,” including a shared all-gender bathroom and study and lounge spaces.
Towers Junior Suites is a five-story building with partial suites, all for freshmen. Rooms are double occupancy and include a private bathroom.
The Village at Centennial Square, which opened in 2001, features two- and three-bedroom apartments for junior/senior transfer students and international students. Rooms are single or double occupancy with a private bathroom, full kitchen and a living and dining area.
University Park North was built in the 1950s as the Stonestown Apartments before being purchased by SFSU in 2005. It is a mixed community for junior and senior continuing residents and graduate students. It has apartments of one, two and three bedrooms. Rooms are single or double occupancy with private bathroom(s), a full kitchen and a living and dining area.
University Park South, enmeshed with the Parkmerced apartment community next door to campus, is for junior and senior continuing residents. It has apartments of one, two and three bedrooms. Rooms are single or double occupancy with private bathroom(s), a full kitchen and a living and dining area.
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