Role of Place Design Between Conventional and Student Housing in South Central Los Angeles

Celebrating the graduates in my 2024 Senior Project class at Cal Poly Pomona Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Today we uplift this researcher:

Roles of Place Design in Creating a Sense of Community Between Conventional Homes and Student Housing in South Central Los Angeles

By: Osvaldo Martinez

Abstract:

For the last 4 to 5 years, the community around the University of Southern California in South Central LA has experienced an increase in student housing development where conventional, longtime residents live. This development wave not only introduces student housing in new neighborhoods but also implements unprecedented design that strays from existing neighborhood architectural styles and densities. This phenomenon raises the question of how these new forms of student housing affect residents’ perceptions of community identity, and how it affects community interactions with USC students.

Through qualitative research, I interviewed residents about new housing design and social interactions with USC students to understand the role of place design in creating a cohesive community. Residents agreed that the new forms of student housing should align with the community’s existing architectural styles, and that new student housing is being built to profit from the student market. Many residents felt that housing developers were intentional about creating a brand within the neighborhood rather than making developments that contribute to the neighborhood.