Inside Look is a Fresno Bee series where we take readers behind the scenes at restaurants, new businesses, local landmarks and news stories.
In a rare occurrence, there’s no waitlist for student housing at Fresno State this year, and it’s no accident.
The university opened a new on-campus housing option for the first time in over 50 years this fall semester. The first batch of students to live in the apartments will move in next week.
Located on the corner of Shaw and Cedar avenues, the four-story-high, 80,000-square-foot-building adds 228 beds to the university’s student housing roster, including a limited number of units for students with children.
Fresno State held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of its new student housing, pictured, which consists of 228 units, including family units, Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026, in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
“Students cannot focus on earning a degree if they are worried about where they are going to be sleeping, whether they can afford next month’s rent, or how they will get to campus every single day,” Phong Yang, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, said at a press gathering Tuesday. “Housing stability is student success.”
A majority of the units have two bedrooms, each with two beds. All units are fully furnished and are the first university housing to be equipped with kitchenettes.
The building has a gym, study rooms and laundry facilities.
Fresno State president Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, right, takes a look at the new gym on the first floor during a tour of Fresno State’s new student housing Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
In the past, Fresno State has had a waitlist of up to 400 students for on-campus housing that the university has not been able to accommodate, Erin Boele, the director of student housing, told The Bee.
“That’s just a disruption to our students,” Boele said. “Or sometimes students choose not to come to Fresno State because we don’t have the ability to house them. This year, we’re able to house everybody who wants to come, so it’s amazing.”
The project was paid for with $33 million from a state affordable student housing grant and $20 million through CSU’s systemwide revenue bonds that Fresno State will pay back.
Rent is $1,000 per month, including utilities, Wi-Fi, and cable, all on one bill. The university prioritized upperclassmen, but it does have some freshmen living in the building this year. Some of the state funds will go towards funding a portion of eligible students’ rent, Boele said.
Fresno State held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour of its new student housing Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026, in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Research suggests students who live on or near campus fare better in college, feel more connected, and graduate faster.
“The real value of living on campus is that is what surrounds the bed,” Phong said. “When students have stable, affordable housing, they can focus on learning.”
The new building is within walking distance from the library, all classrooms, services, and recreation on campus.
Phong highlighted that Fresno State students come from a wide range of backgrounds, like just out of high school, transfer students, working adults and caregivers.
The complex includes six family units for students with children. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research has found that about 20% of college students have children nationally.
Fresno State has 1,598 students living on campus this school year. Every bed is full in each of the university’s 10 student housing buildings.
“Affordable housing helps remove one of the barriers between our students and their degrees, and when our students earn their degrees, the impact is felt far beyond this campus,” said Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, president of Fresno State. “It strengthens families, it grows our workplace, it lifts neighborhoods, it fuels the economy of our Central Valley.”
Guests view a new kitchen in one of the units of Fresno State’s new student housing Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com 
Guests walk the first floor hallway on a tour of Fresno State’s new student housing Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com 
Guests tour Fresno State’s new student housing Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM.
Related Stories from Fresno Bee