West Campus Living Costs
As the cost of living in Austin continues to climb, University of Texas students are facing an increasingly difficult housing market. With rental prices spiraling upward across the city, many students are left navigating the challenges of finding affordable living options.
UT has various housing options for students that vary in price and commute times to campus. The rates for the residence halls range from $13,504 to $20,447 per person for the fall and spring semesters. UT has family-style housing with their University Apartments and which range from $578.25 to $1,232 but are a 15-minute drive commute to campus and don’t include a parking pass. If students choose to reside in the west campus area, the university has its own apartment complex, 2400 Nueces, Nine-month lease prices range from $1,140 to $1,745 and 12-month lease prices range from $1,065 to $1,670.
All enrolled students are eligible to live in University-owned housing, but the university is currently suffering from a housing shortage, with only about 7,400 university housing spaces for over 50,000 students. Due to Austin’s rapid growth and rising cost of housing, this has caused problems for university students, particularly low-income students as they try to find affordable housing.
Recent data reveals that Austin has seen a sharp increase in rental prices, with the majority of rents between $1,001 and $1,500 per month. This rise in costs heavily affect students, many of whom rely on part-time jobs or financial aid to make ends meet. Data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows that to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Austin without being rent-burdened, a person would need to earn $27.58 per hour. For students working low-wage jobs or relying on limited financial aid, this becomes a significant burden.
"I was just trying to look for something as cheap as possible, knowing housing, especially on campus, is really expensive," said Carlos Doble a sophomore computer science major.
He eventually secured a spot in UT’s family housing, but one that lacked the proximity and amenities he initially hoped for and left him with a 25-minute bus commute to campus.
"It ended up working out, but I had to let go of being right next to campus or having nice facilities," said Doble
Elaina Hirani, a junior speech language and hearing sciences major who has also struggled to find affordable housing, shared a similar experience to Dobles.
"It’s hard finding something close to campus that’s both affordable and decent.” said Hirani “I’ve been living in a place that’s a bit further out because I couldn’t find anything closer that was within my budget."
For students like Doble, finding affordable housing is not just about rent; it involves considering transportation as well.
"I've had to spend more time planning my commutes, and even then, I’m worried about being late to class because of traffic," Doble said. "It’s not just the rent, it’s everything that comes with it-the added stress of the commute, the lack of reliable public transport near cheaper areas."
The strain of rising housing costs extends beyond financial hardship. It has a ripple effect on students' mental health and academic performance.
"I feel like I can’t focus on school as much because my mind is occupied with worrying about how I’m going to make ends meet each month," said Hirani. "I’ve applied for a couple of housing grants, but it’s hard to get accepted for any of them,. I still end up paying more than I’d like, and I have to juggle work and school to make up for the difference."
The city of Austin and UT have made efforts to help low-income students afford the cost of living in Austin. Safe, Mixed-Income, Accessible, Reasonably-Priced, Transit-Oriented Housing is a program designed to provide accessible housing for low and moderate-income Austin residents. Under this, developments must have a minimum number of affordable units, satisfy requirements related to proximity to transit, and meet certain accessibility standards. The university has also made a housing scholarship to help low-income students with the cost of living on campus. The scholarship ranges from $900-$1,800 for an academic year.
Although the city of Austin and the University of Texas have introduced initiatives to address the housing crisis, significant gaps remain.
"There are definitely good programs that exist," Doble said, "but there’s still a middle ground that’s hard to navigate. People like me, who aren’t low-income enough for certain programs but can’t afford the high rents, fall through the cracks."
As the housing situation in Austin continues to worsen, students are left to navigate the frustrating process of securing affordable housing.
"There needs to be more affordable options for students. We can’t keep paying these prices and expect to focus on our studies and well-being." Hirani said
This article was written for my Underrepresented Communities Assignment for my J310F Reporting Words Class.
