Committee hears that CalFresh changes and flat basic‑needs funding could harm UC students

The subcommittee reviewed state and federal support for student basic‑needs programs, focusing on food security, rapid rehousing and mental health services.

Department of Finance said the governor's budget maintains ongoing support for UC basic needs at roughly $15.8 million for food security, $3.7 million for rapid rehousing and $21.3 million for mental health (about $48.1 million total). Florence Bouvet of the LAO noted the governor's budget leaves these amounts flat for 2026‑27 and flagged federal changes to CalFresh participation rules that will take effect in mid‑2026, including a 20‑hour/week work requirement for many recipients that may reduce student eligibility.

Seiya Vertanen said UC has built a system of campus basic‑needs centers and partnerships but cautioned that the university does not have resources to fully backfill the expected loss of CalFresh benefits; he estimated the cost to replace current CalFresh benefits for UC students at about $17.3 million. Vertanen said campuses are exploring community partnerships and food bank coordination, but that some measures are limited by local food bank capacity.

Committee members asked how basic‑needs funds are allocated; UC said UCOP divides funds between campuses with a base allocation and the remainder distributed based on enrollment. Members asked for more campus‑level tracking on prevention and early intervention for student mental health. The item was held open for further work and monitoring.