Rent Hikes and Unrest at UCSC's Family Student Housing

On Wednesday, March 16, UCSC administrators and Vice Chancellors held a meeting to discuss rent hikes at UCSC's Family Student Housing. A hundred tenants, from a community of 200 rental units, showed up to demand affordable rents.

The officials assured everyone that the rent, which is far more expensive than comparable units at other UC's, and which has gone up 56% in the last nine years, needs to go up another 7.5%. They explained that due to the Long Range Development Plan, residents need to pay much of their rent into future housing costs, some of which would go into doubling the units at family student housing. While there will be future need for that housing, it seems cruel to fundraise off the backs of single parents, undergraduates with kids often living well below the poverty line, and students who are the most vulnerable to dropping out of school under economic duress. This proposed current budget leaves many families, living off grad student wages, with $250 a month to live on. All of this is taking place with aging housing stock that they define as "substandard" and which has ongoing issues with mold, asbestos, and rodents.

In a year when many spouses have been laid off, when jobs in town and at the university are growing scarcer every day, the families who live here are calling foul play. Ninety-eight percent of the households at FSH have signed a petition demanding affordable family student housing at UCSC.

At this meeting, one undergraduate student, baby in tow, spoke about living on welfare, loans, and scholarships, and the likelihood of her having to drop out of school if rents go up. Another pregnant student discussed how living in a community where most her neighbors were parents, allowed her to exchange babysitting and survive as a student. She will have to move if rents go up. Another resident, whose wife just gave birth, discussed getting his PHD and being the first generation in his family to go to college, and how his dreams of moving back to his community and teaching at community college were threatened by his accruing debt.

The Associate Vice Chancellor Jean-Marie Scott responded by repeating over and over that the tenants had to pay our "fair share." She took in no consideration of our current economic crisis, and the realities students face.

On Monday, March 30th, the officials plan on reviewing their budget, and showing the Family Student Housing how their budget's numbers equal, in effect, eviction notices for many, many families here. The students plan on presenting a very different budget, one that includes elements of affordability, accessibility, and housing justice. This meeting will take place from 5:45-7:30pm at the Affiliates Building at Family Student Housing. We invite the Santa Cruz community to come and show their support for the students who struggle to live here.