Prepping your Room 

Before you depart, please review the Safety and Maintenance flyer for info on securing your room. The Safety and Maintenance flyer also includes information on preparing your room for Housing's safety and maintenance checks. Safety and maintenance checks typically start during finals week and into break. Check with your RA or CA for when checks will start in your community.   

If you currently have a vacancy in your room/apartment, ensure that the space is ready to welcome a new roommate should one be assigned to your room or apartment during the break. 

Health and Safety Inspections 

Health and safety inspections help maintain a safe, healthy and well-maintained living environment. Inspections are conducted periodically throughout the academic year, including before some academic breaks. Residents will receive advance notice, and staff will knock and announce themselves before entering a room or apartment. 

These are visual inspections only. Staff will not search personal belongings or open drawers, closets, refrigerators or other private storage areas. 

During an inspection, staff check for:

• Fire and electrical hazards, including candles, prohibited appliances, overloaded outlets, blocked exits, tampered smoke detectors and flammable items  
• Health and sanitation concerns, such as excessive trash, open food or conditions that may attract pests  
• Maintenance issues, including leaks, damaged fixtures, broken windows, missing screens or malfunctioning smoke detectors  
• Visible University Housing policy concerns  

Before leaving for an academic break, residents should remove trash and open food, turn off lights and heaters, close and lock windows, and submit a work order for needed repairs. Residents of Cerro Vista Apartments and Poly Canyon Village should also make sure faucets, toilets, ovens and stovetops are turned off. 

When staff identify a concern, residents may receive a Health and Safety Notice or fix-it ticket explaining what needs to be corrected. Staff may submit a maintenance request and conduct a follow-up inspection. Unresolved concerns or policy violations may be referred through the university’s student conduct process.

Fall Break 2026

All residential buildings will remain open during fall break, Nov. 23–29. The Aliso desk in Poly Canyon Village is the only desk open during break: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, with the exception of its closure on Thursday, Nov. 26. All other front desks close for fall break at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 21 and reopen at 8 a.m., Monday, Nov. 30.   

If you are staying during the break and need a service when the front desk is closed, reach out to the RA on-call — you can find the on-call number at the front door of each building. Housing Admin. is also available to assist by phone 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Wednesday, closed on weekends and Nov. 26–27. 

Health and safety inspections will occur the last week of October.

Winter Break 2026–27

All residential buildings close for winter break at noon, Saturday, Dec. 19 and remain closed through noon, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2027. 

Winter break is not included in residents’ housing contracts and the cost is not included in their housing fees. Residents who would like to stay for break pay a flat fee. The Winter Break Interest List opens in October. Residents on the interest list will receive an email when the application opens in November. Once the application is complete, no refunds or cancellations will be made for winter break. During winter break, residents who do not secure housing for the break will not have access to Housing. Residents who live in apartments and have a completed winter break application will remain in their space; residents (including RAs) who live in residence halls and have a completed winter break application will temporarily move into Cerro Vista Apartments.  

The RA on-call is available for residents who need a service when the front desks are closed. Housing Admin (Bldg. 31) is also available to assist you from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday. Bldg. 31 will be closed Monday, Dec. 21–Friday, Jan. 1, 2027. Phone support will be available 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Dec. 21–24 at 805-756-1226.  

Campus residents who are not staying for winter break should reach out to Housing Admin. at 805-756-1226 or email housing@calpoly.edu for support.  

North Mountain residents: Before departing for winter break, you will return your brass key to Express Key Drops in Building 31 or Trinity Hall before departing and pick up at the Trinity Front Desk on your return, starting at noon, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2027.   

Spring Break 2027

All residential buildings will remain open during spring break March 15–21. The Aliso desk in Poly Canyon Village is the only desk open during break: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. All other front desks close for spring break at 5 p.m., Friday, March 19 and reopen at 10 a.m., Sunday, March 28.  

If you are staying during the break and need a service when the front desk is closed, reach out to the RA on-call — you can find the on-call number at the front door of each building. Housing Admin. (Bldg. 31) is also available to assist you 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday.