The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying rush to depopulate college campuses in 2020 brought the housing insecurity and homelessness experienced by many college students into sharper focus. Forty-eight percent of college students across the country experienced housing insecurity in 2020. Fourteen percent were homeless at some point, according to a 2020 survey by The Hope Center.
Fortunately, colleges and universities across the country have responded to the affordable housing crisis in a variety of ways, ranging from building dorm space dedicated to students experiencing homelessness to building strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations and housing resources. The Hope Center has compiled a number of examples of interventions employed by colleges. While all of these strategies are promising, most are not yet evidence-based or have been subject to rigorous evaluations.