Nigerian polytechnics have not utilized public-private partnership (PPP) to augment the huge student residential housing deficits in spite of stoppage of public procurement in the subsector. We investigated three federal polytechnics in southeastern Nigeria using in-person interviews involving 21 respondents. Findings indicate inability of institutions to initiate hostel PPP, poor institution-community interaction, and stakeholder-institution-initiate controversy as factors that deter private investment in hostel PPP. Community engagement is necessary to attract private investment in campus hostel PPP.