Pilot program to address student homelessness

Posted Jan. 18, 2023

By Kim Phan

Opinions Editor

To address rising rates of student homelessness, multiple colleges have banded together to build more housing. Mt. Hood Community College, Portland State University, and Portland Community College have partnered with nonprofits such as College Housing Northwest and New Avenues for Youth. 

ARCS (Affordable Rents for College Students) will address housing insecurity and provide rental assistance to students who require it. This is a completely new program that will provide subsidized housing, an efficient application process, and an even more supportive environment. To succeed in college, the most important backup plan is to have a safe place to return to after a long day of classes.

This program represents a ray of hope for students who have felt that the one fundamental human right that should have been granted to all has held them back. Almost half of Mt. Hood Community College students polled said they would not have enrolled in classes if the ARCS program had not assisted them in obtaining housing. Consider the chances and opportunities that could have been lost if assistance had not been provided where it was required.

While in the beginning, it was only helping a select number of limited students, it is forecasted to expand and provide assistance to bigger student populations. They had recently received $280,000 in state support which will be the backbone of this program in expansion for students towards their desired future. 

It gives the most ambitious students a head start and de-stigmatizes the homelessness crisis. Even those with disabilities have goals and valid aspirations that must be met and encouraged. When it is possible, we as a society must know when to give back.

It can only be seen how that cycle of student homeless can simply repeat itself to the point of no return without additional resources to help. If resources are not provided to help those who deserve them build better lives for themselves, they may never succeed. They all deserve chances because they were not given one because their families did not support them. It generates more potential future leaders who will serve the economy and contribute to society now that they have access to basic housing necessities.