With University classes going back in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, hundreds of students at the University of Victoria are facing the possibility of homelessness while they finish their studies and for some, even before it has even begun. I have found housing myself, but hundreds are currently without. 

The University of Victoria tore down a residence building in 2019 and has not finished building the replacement yet. More first years have applied this year due to to Covid-19 halting post-secondary classes and deferred students are also coming back to a city with already limited vacancies. 

Landlords are raising the rent, starting bidding wars and scamming students. Parents have resorted to buying apartment buildings since renting spaces have run out, and those that are available are excruciatingly expensive, dank, and often illegal basement suites. Without mentioning that in some cases, paying a mortgage is cheaper than renting an apartment alone. Landlords have said that within an hour of posting they will get hundreds of phone calls and replies. Students have been sharing dozens of screenshots of housing adverts that have turned out to be scams, trying to help eachother out.

A poll from August 20th found that at least 301 students have not found housing yet despite sending hundreds of emails, phone calls and searching for housing like a full-time job, and students are in earnest, legitimately getting ready to camp in the quad in tents while studying this fall. We are not just referring to a few students.

Students have been looking at couch surfing, tent and living-in-car options, as well as air bnb and hotels, although these have few vacancies also. The average rent is $800/month with most places being unfurnished and still having to pay utilities separately. These students are willing to pay, but housing is simply not available. 

Basically, the university needs to address this issue (we are asking for the University to address this issue as we believe it was not only a fault in the logistics but it is also could affect the universities reputation). The university has resources to deal with this situation and at the very least respond to their students. This could be a solvable problem for them.

As of right now, there are groups of students helping to write applications, contacting motels and going around to churches on to ask their locals if they will rent rooms to those students who do not have housing yet. A few locals who typically house international students during the school year through arrangement with UVic have said that they were not contacted. It has come to our attention that other universities when faced with the same situation have bought out hotels, and a cheaper and very tangible solution would be simply to put up portables; they have the land and have already done it for the dining hall. These are just the solutions I can think of, and I am one person. They have money and people and could solve this if they decide to acknowledge the situation. 

We are asking that the university acknowledge this issue and put a team forwards to help students, whether that be by setting up emergency housing, contacting locals who have previously put up students, or generally putting forwards an effort to find a solution.

Students should not have to face homelessness in order to finish their studies.