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Orange Coast College's The Harbour: A model for P3 housing delivery

How a public-private partnership transformed OCC’s campus

Orange Coast College (OCC) transformed its campus and student experience with the opening of The Harbour, an 814-bed student housing project delivered through a public-private partnership.

Faced with a critical need to create a true residential environment, OCC turned to B&D to serve as its development advisor. B&D guided the college through market analysis, financial modeling, and the developer selection process, ultimately structuring a partnership with the nonprofit National Campus and Community Development Corporation (NCCD) and The Scion Group to finance, build, and manage the project.

The result: a $100 million, apartment-style community that opened in fall 2020—delivered at no cost to the district (Source: OCC).

A transformative impact

The Harbour has turned OCC into a seven-day-a-week campus, offering modern housing and amenities that support student success and campus life. By transferring financial and operational risk to its P3 partners, OCC protected district resources while achieving a long-standing strategic goal. B&D worked hand-in-hand with OCC’s leadership team to:

• Conduct housing market demand and financial feasibility analyses
• Lead stakeholder engagement and board-level discussions
• Oversee the developer selection process and P3 structuring
• Provide ongoing advisory support through project delivery

A replicable model for community colleges

The Harbour stands as a model for how California community colleges can meet urgent infrastructure needs by leveraging their assets, aligning partnerships with mission, and reducing financial risk.