The San Benito Housing project will see construction ramp up for the remainder of Spring Quarter 2025, following approval from the California Coastal Commission on April 10. The project aims to ameliorate UC Santa Barbara’s housing crisis with 2,224 new beds by fall 2027.
The remainder of this quarter will see utility relocations, site clearance and demolition of the existing hardscape. Photo Courtesy of UCSB Housing, Dining and Auxiliary Enterprises
San Benito Housing is a residence hall project that aims to add seven buildings of apartment-style rooms for undergraduate students. Construction will take place at the site of the former Facilities Management site in the northwest corner of campus, at the intersection of Mesa Road and Stadium Road.
The California Coastal Commission approved a Notice of Impending Development last week after the University of California (UC) Regents approved the San Benito project in January. Webcor Builders was chosen as the general contractor and Construction Manager at Risk for the project. Workers will prioritize utility relocations, site clearance and demolition of the existing hardscape, according to Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises Associate Vice Chancellor Willie Brown.
Brown said that construction may restrict access to San Clemente Villages as well as UCSB recreational and athletic facilities on Stadium Road in an email to the campus community. He also said there would be a reduction in parking.
“We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding as we adapt to these reconfigurations. Thank you for your support as we work toward the successful completion of the exciting new San Benito residential community!” Brown said.
The housing project seeks to fulfill UCSB’s obligation to add more student beds in line with student enrollment, as delineated by the 2010 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). The LRDP is a contract between UCSB, Santa Barbara County and the City of Goleta calling for UCSB to cap student enrollment at 25,000 until 2025 and add 5,000 beds for the additional students that the UC mandated UCSB enroll.
San Benito Housing represents Phase One of the plan, with the newly approved East Campus Housing planned for Phase Two.
UCSB media spokesperson Kiki Reyes said the University is in the process of finding ways to mitigate the parking .
“During the construction, parking for athletic events is primarily shifted towards structure 22, as well as Mesa structure 18. Transportation and Parking Services know that this will be an inconvenience for some of our community and are working hard to continue to adapt and address concerns as construction progresses,” Reyes said.
The Nexus will continue to report on this topic as more information becomes available.
A version of this article appeared on p. 1 of the Apr. 17, 2025 edition of the Daily Nexus.
