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    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​PA MASLOW

    Housing Security (Transportation)

    Homelessness among college students can be seen in a variety of ways—and can often be unseen. According to a Hope Center Survey, 48% of college students were housing insecure and 14% were affected by homelessness1 in 2021. Students may not have a place to go on breaks and during the summer, or newly admitted students who are housing insecure may be awaiting fall move-in so they have a place to live.

    Securing meals and feeding students when campus is closed should be taken into consideration when operating on-campus housing for homeless students, and foster youth should be accounted for and ensured they have secure housing as well.

    Transportation should also be considered a basic need for students, with commuting students spending almost $2,000 per year on transportation costs according to the College Board2.

    Resources

    Finding Your Way in PA is a statewide app for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Students can use the app to be connected to local supports and resources in their communities throughout the Commonwealth.

    Programs like Pittsburgh Promise's Preferred College Partners offers additional funding resources for housing and meal plans on partner campuses for Pittsburgh Promise Scholars.

    HB 729 has been introduced which would offer a waiver program for housing costs like the Foster Ed program offers for tuition. HB 1175 proposes a pilot program at PASSHE institutions and community colleges that would ensure homeless students have access to safe housing, food, laundry, technology, and other services so that they can focus on completing their education.

    Thinking strategically about Housing Security and Transportation

    • Have you completed a basic needs survey on campus for students and asked specifically for students to self-identify if they are experiencing homelessness and need additional supports during breaks and summers?
    • Do you offer emergency housing on/near campus or in collaboration with another campus in close proximity?
    • Do you allow students who are going to enroll during the fall to come to campus early if they are housing insecure?
    • Do you have emergency funding or financial aid strategies in place to subsidize on-campus housing if financial aid is not sufficient to cover the full cost?
    • What does arrival on campus look like for your students? Do they have someone to drive them to campus or do they arrive by bus and need picked up?
    • Is there public transportation available to your campus for commuting students?
    • Adult learners should be considered in policy implementations. Many adult learners live off-campus, are parenting, working, or taking care of other obligations.

    1 HopeSurveyReport2021.pdf (temple.edu)
    2 Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2021 (collegeboard.org)