California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo has officially flipped the script on campus housing. Launching the largest modular housing project ever seen in the U.S., Cal Poly is investing more than $1 billion to build 9 new dorms holding 4,200 beds—all constructed using FullStack Modular’s high-tech factory process in Carson, California. This isn’t just construction—it’s a fundamental shift in how universities can and should solve their growing student housing shortages.
renderings – Steinberg Hart Architects
Why Modular? Enter the Carson Factory Edge
FullStack Modular’s Carson factory isn’t just a production facility—it’s the heart of this project. Here, entire steel-framed living units come out fully finished, complete with plumbing, electrical, drywall, paint, cabinetry, and even bathroom fixtures. These ready-to-roll boxes are then trucked straight to Cal Poly’s hillside site and stacked like massive Lego blocks, slashing months off construction timelines. Compared to traditional builds, this modular method cuts down on overall cost, speeds up delivery, and ensures consistent quality thanks to the controlled indoor environment. Most importantly for a town like San Luis Obispo, where housing is scarce and pricey, it also dramatically reduces the number of on-site workers needing temporary accommodations.
9 Buildings, 4,200 Beds: Suite‑Style by Design
The entire development will span 9 residential buildings, each designed with the modern student in mind. The first three buildings, offering 1,300 beds, are scheduled to open by Fall 2026. Every suite will house six students in three bedrooms with two bathrooms and a cozy shared living area. Each floor will include thoughtfully designed community lounges, study spaces, and quiet rooms to encourage both collaboration and focus. The buildings will meet LEED Gold standards, with elevators and fully ADA-compliant layouts throughout, ensuring sustainability and accessibility are baked into the design from the start.
The $1 Billion+ Price Tag: Investment, Innovation, Impact
Yes, the price tag is eye-popping—more than $1 billion—but that’s exactly what makes this project worth watching. Cal Poly’s investment is about more than just beds and buildings. It’s about creating a long-term strategy for student well-being and academic success. The project is being funded through a series of revenue bonds approved by the California State University trustees. Officials expect the unit cost to fall over time, aiming to reduce the cost per bed from around $250,000 to closer to $200,000 as production efficiencies kick in. The university’s goal is ambitious but clear: house every second-year student on campus, pushing total campus housing capacity up to 12,200 beds by 2030.
Solving Local Pain Points: SLO’s Housing Crunch & the Modularity Fix
Housing in San Luis Obispo is expensive, limited, and highly competitive—especially with students competing against working families for the same rental units. The city’s average rent for a two-bedroom apartment hovers near $3,000 a month, and vacancy rates are among the lowest in the state. By moving students back on campus in large numbers, this modular project aims to ease the pressure on the city’s housing stock. And with modular construction requiring far fewer on-site workers than traditional builds, there’s less strain on local accommodations and services during the construction phase.
Factory Talk: From Los Angeles to the Hills of SLO
Everything starts at FullStack Modular’s 85,000-square-foot factory in Carson, just south of Los Angeles. There, up to 15 modules a week are produced and prepped for transport. Deliveries happen late at night to minimize traffic disruption, and the modules arrive on-site ready to be craned into place. With most of the work already completed at the factory, on-site crews are able to install, connect, and finish units in record time. Roger Krulak, FullStack’s president and founder, likens the process to building iPhones—repeatable, consistent, and cost-effective.
What’s at Stake: A CSU Trendsetter & Blueprint for the Future
This isn’t just Cal Poly’s first modular housing project—it’s the CSU system’s first attempt to build at this scale using modular technology. If successful, it could become a roadmap for other California universities and colleges trying to address their own housing shortages without relying solely on the traditional, time-consuming construction model. With FullStack’s technology, the potential to replicate and scale these housing projects is very real. There’s also growing interest from state legislators and housing advocates who see modular as a way to make a real dent in California’s broader housing crisis.
Bold, Big and Uplifting
Cal Poly has set a new benchmark in university housing—not just with the eye-popping $1 billion budget, but by placing a bet on modular innovation through FullStack Modular’s Carson factory. This isn’t a trend—it’s a signal that large-scale modular construction has finally arrived as a serious contender for solving urgent housing needs. The Cal Poly project doesn’t just offer a roof over students’ heads; it offers hope for a smarter, faster, and more affordable future in housing.
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With over 8,000 published articles on modular and offsite construction, Gary Fleisher remains one of the most trusted voices in the industry.
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