Prospective students interested in attending Columbia College, which is located in a rural area near Sonora, California, have, until recently, faced a lack of available on- and off-campus housing. In 1983, a local developer expressed an interest in building and operating student housing on campus. After determining the feasibility and legality of such an arrangement, the college adopted a resolution stating an intention to lease property for the purpose of requiring a lessee to construct and operate student housing and to receive and consider proposals for the joint occupancy of such housing. A Request for Proposals, which was developed by a campus committee, specified minimum legal requirements, as well as college/district requirements concerning costs and budgeting, design approval, operational plan approval, and security responsibilities. A public hearing was held to review the proposals and award the 40-year lease. This unique arrangement between a public agency and a private builder cooperating to construct student housing offers the following benefits: (1) students have quality housing located on campus at a reasonable rate; (2) the college gains student housing at no cost to its budget; and (3) private capital is investing in the future of Columbia College. (AYC)