In the city of Santa Cruz, for example, affordable housing is so scarce some University of California students sleep in cars or classrooms.
The most notable aims to alleviate California's housing crisis by permitting home construction on non-residential lots previously zoned for retail, offices, and parking.
Owens hopes it will also ease the woes of UCSC students who can't find affordable housing on campus.
According to the university, UCSC currently has just under 10,000 total spots available in campus housing for undergraduate, graduate and family housing.
"A lot of the people who are bidding in Santa Cruz, don't have the income to match what landlords are asking," Owens said.