Student Housing Development

Following the successful opening of Sierra Madre Villages in 2015 and San Joaquin Villages in 2017, Housing, Dining & Auxiliary Enterprises, alongside campus stakeholders, is embarking on a two-phase student housing development that will provide 3,500 new undergraduate student beds on the UC Santa Barbara main campus. Both the Phase One and Phase Two project planning are underway concurrently, with each phase considering the requirements of the 2010 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). These development projects will address the campus’s critical housing needs and create a vibrant, inclusive, and safe community for students to call home for years to come.

San Benito (Phase One)

Located at the former Facilities Management site, San Benito will provide campus with 2,225 new undergraduate student beds in apartment configurations including 4-bedroom units, 2-bedroom units, and studio apartments. Arranged as a series of towers with central common areas, this project will feature a retail dining market and additional amenities driven by student outreach sessions. 

Construction will start in 2025 to meet a planned opening of Fall 2027. To follow San Benito’s progress, sign up for Student Housing Development updates.

East Campus (Phase Two)

Imagined as an infill & redevelopment effort on the east side of UCSB main campus, Phase Two will add new beds within the existing community of five residence halls, commonly called the Channel Islands Five. Planning for Phase Two started in Spring 2024, with student outreach workshops in May and evaluations of the existing buildings, including Ortega Dining Commons, proceeding into Summer.

See below for preliminary renderings of San Benito, phase one of the development project scheduled to open Fall 2027.