Why Housing (In)Justice?
According to a Basic Needs survey distributed by The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, of 195,000 respondents, 48% of students reported housing insecurity and 14% of students reported homelessness in 2020.​students experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity scramble for places to stay throughout extended breaks. As final exams approach, students experiencing homelessness/housing insecurity are under severe pressure to determine their next steps, all while trying to pass their examinations. When a student cannot focus on their basic needs—such as shelter—they are not able to perform academically.
14%
48%
HOMELESS
HOUSING INSECURE
I found myself asking this question:
Why do universities and post-secondary communities fail to acknowledge the issue of student homelessness/housing-insecurity?​
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Due to the lack of dialogue surrounding this phenomenon, my vision was to develop a documentary series that:
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Dissolves the stigma surrounding college homelessness/housing insecurity
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Details stories that reflect college homelessness/housing insecurity
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Inspires college communities to actively combat the phenomenon of college homelessness/housing insecurity through activism
Alex
“I had escaped from my abusive household and I was pursuing a college degree on my own. As a 17 year old, I struggled with housing because I didn't have credit, I wasn't technically a legal adult, I didn't have a cosigner, and it was really difficult to find a landlord—or somewhere to live—that would take a chance on me in that situation."
Courtney
“...it wasn't until my sophomore year where my home life truly became bad enough that I realized there was no way I could stay home. I had run away from home after something happened with my parents. At that point, I needed to figure out something for the summer because I wasn't going to move home. That just opened up so many questions..."
amber
“Even though everyone should be entitled to a safe space, you feel like a burden for just needing walls, a roof, and a safe place to stay. When I did stay with people, I would try to contribute as much as I possibly could. Just existing in their space, I felt like such a burden. That's really difficult—especially at the college level. They're ignoring this entire population."