Hartnell Community College students are getting outside the classroom to get real construction experience. A joint venture between the college, the city of Salinas and the non profit housing corporation, CHISPA, allows students to build affordable housing on abandoned lots, according to a press release.

Students studying construction get to hone their chops on a 3-bedroom, two bath single story home on Soledad Street in downtown Salinas. They will follow StepUp2Green program guidelines on the project, which is due to be completed in December 2010.

When the house is ready, CHISPA will sell the home to a low-income family. The yearly project is supported by a federal housing grant.