STUDENT WORKERS' OPINIONS ON HOUSING

VOL. 123, ISSUE NO. 35

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ON THE COVER

In Lawrence Hall, the restrooms are plentiful but the existence of the all-gender restroom is none. (Ali Watson/Emerald) 959 Franklin is an apartment building located on Franklin Blvd. in Eugene. High-rise apartment buildings close to campus, like the Franklin buildings, are more expensive and ornate than student employees say they can comfortably afford. (Summer Surgent-Gough/Emerald)

STUDENT WORKERS' OPINIONS:

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING DOESN’T MEET NEEDS

Students with on-campus jobs prefer housing that’s close to campus, and they don’t care about bells and whistles, but finding options to fit these needs is a struggle.

BY ABBY SOURWINE

The University of Oregon employs 4,947 undergraduate student employees, and apart from resident assistants and first-year students who are required to, few of them live on-campus. According to the U.S. News and World Report, 83% of UO students live off-campus, while only 17% live in collegeowned, -operated or -affiliated housing.

Affordable student housing is hard to find nationwide, but the issue is on the rise in Eugene, as new apartment buildings near campus charge up to $1,800/month for a single-bedroom apartment and the student population reaches record-highs each year, with the exception of 2020.

At UO, student jobs pay $11.25–$16+ per hour, according to UO’s student jobs website. Even working students say that finding a place that’s close enough to get to work and class without being too expensive is a difficult game.

“You have places that are super far from campus that are nice and at a pretty good price, or anything that's close to campus is super run down and you’re constantly calling the maintenance people,” UO junior Sarah-Anne Bedrosian, who works at Hiron’s, said.

Nearby student housing can offer luxury amenities to match the high price tag, but students don’t always seek the luxury. The two newest apartment buildings on Franklin Blvd. feature rooftop pools and private study lounges. Bedrosian said they only really need a washer and dryer as far as amenities are concerned. The least expensive one-bedroom apartment at Union on Broadway costs $1,650/month and Identity Eugene costs $1,799/month, according to their websites, though studios start closer to $1,400/month for each.

Location is a key point across the board, but students know they can get a more affordable place outside of the immediate area.

UO junior Ella Meloy works in the EMU and lives in a five-person house near campus but is moving to a space farther away from UO and adding a roommate to save on rent. She pays about $700/month now.

Another junior, Chloe Miller, works in the EMU, as well. She lives with three roommates in a townhouse close to campus, but plans to move farther away next year because her rent would increase several thousand dollars.

“My place I'm living in right now is increasing the rent by so much money next term, and nothing is different,” she said. “They haven't done any remodels or anything.”

The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Eugene is $995/month, according to rental marketplace Zumper.

Ella Wrather, a UO junior from Arizona, lives on campus as a resident assistant in part because room and board is included in RAs’ compensation.

“The housing that does exist is very exclusive in how it's priced, and you get very little for your money,” she said, “As an out-of-state student, I'm already paying enough, so I'd rather get free housing here.”

UO junior Rory Sweeney works 25 hours per week in a UO dining hall to afford her two-bedroom apartment at 13th and Olive. Even with a steady job and support from her parents, Sweeney said she won’t go over $740/month for housing.

Miller said she wishes there was some form of rent control in Eugene. “Maybe there's some way that they would keep the price the same for a certain amount of years so people aren't forced out every term,” she said.

Meloy said that if housing options near the university were affordable and realistic in their offerings, it would benefit the whole Eugene community, not just students.

“I would just like a place that I can afford and that has like the most basic of necessities,” Wrather said. “I really don't feel like students are asking for a lot.”