Addressing Housing Insecurity among East Carolina University Students

Abstract

In 2021, The Hope Center at Temple University reported that 43% of U.S. college students had faced housing insecurity in the previous year, 29% had faced food insecurity, and 14% had been homeless at some point. Here at East Carolina University, provisions like the Purple Pantry have gone a long way to address student food insecurity, but housing insecurity remains one of the most urgent issues facing students, especially during university breaks. This project intends to usher the development of a comprehensive emergency housing system where there are solutions for students in need throughout the year. After determining the efficacy of existing ECU resources, a stakeholder group was formed by the Dean of Students to discuss, design, and implement a plan to address temporary emergency housing needs. The group’s research and experience have determined that while emergency housing for a short period of time would likely be feasible at East Carolina, an external organization would be necessary to fully meet the needs of housing-insecure students. As such, the immediate focus of the group is to strengthen existing short-term provisions while searching for potential stakeholders for the development of a non-profit or service-based organization. This project, while hindered by strict federal and state regulations regarding the disbursement of university resources, has resulted in (1) increased interdepartmental cooperation at East Carolina University, (2) formation of a group meant to address housing insecurity, and (3) clarification of existing resources with a developing plan for improvement.