California’s affordable housing crisis has been around for years, but many college students today are facing a much worse problem than they expected.

“It is getting bad,” said Derarsh Shroff, 18, a computer science major at Diablo Valley College, speaking about the housing crunch.

“Prices are getting higher and wages haven’t really increased, and it is causing issues.” 

As the affordable housing crisis in California gets worse, college students like Shroff are among those getting hit the hardest. As a result, many students are being forced into undesirable housing situations, and often living with their parents much longer than expected.

“This crisis has existed for quite a long time, and it has been exacerbated more recently,” said DVC counselor Raine Dougan.

As a result, “students are staying at home a lot longer than they want to, often living with their parents in less than ideal housing situations at home just because it is the most affordable or only option for them,” he said.

Students are also being forced to drive longer distances to class because they can’t live close to campus.

“Students are driving from far away,” Dougan added. “They want to attend here, but they have to live in places that are less expensive.”

According to CalMatters, as a result of the housing shortage, around 10,000 University of California students were refused access to university housing systemwide last fall. 

On top of housing and commuter woes, students face additional stress in the form of work, as many juggle multiple jobs to come up with money for living expenses on top of tuition.

The crisis is having an impact on students’ mental health. The think tank New America reports students dealing with housing issues have had more anxiety and depression, worse general health, and lower GPAs compared to students with stable housing situations. 

Student opinions vary on how to address the multiple crises. “The government needs to provide more affordable housing units, that would help out a lot,” said Sahel Sardhu, 18, a physics major at DVC. 

For current students, there are some ways to cushion the impact, like seeking financial aid. 

“Everyone should be applying for financial aid,” said Dougan, “because even if students aren’t eligible for grants, there is free tuition for students who are full time,” which gives students the ability to put more money toward their housing costs.

If students find themselves in immediate crisis, Dougan said they can seek help at DVC counseling for help right away.

“For students in real crisis, they should come into counseling because we do have an emergency fund to help students who are in immediate need to get money fast,” she said.