Massachusetts recently instituted a pilot program which addresses the issue of youth homelessness, according to the Boston Globe.

Governor Charlie Baker announced four colleges were chosen to receive $120,000 in state funding to offer housing to homeless students: Bridgewater State, Framingham State, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Worcester State.  More funding will be  included the next budget, for an estimated total of $3 million in grants to organizations assisting homeless students.

Recently, Massachusetts’ universities have experienced reduced enrolments, so extra dorm rooms have become available to offer community college students who are unable to afford housing.  The state hopes this program will diminish problems these students experience, such as inefficient transportation from the homeless shelter to campus, lack of privacy to study, and no computer access. These factors lead to waning grades, discouragement and eventual drop out.

So far, 20 homeless students in the area have begun participating.  The stipulations include: students 25 and under, enrolled in school full-time, and in good academic standing. In addition to the safety of living in a respectable and convenient place, these students enjoy the benefits of free meals at their host campus dining halls, privacy for studying, computer access and free mental health counseling, all in hopes to increase their chances of graduating.

Other states are expected to duplicate the Massachusetts model for their homeless students to encourage their higher education endeavors.  For instance, the Seattle, Washington area has been notorious for years of struggle with youth homelessness.  The high cost of living in the Seattle area makes it difficult for young college students to afford housing.  To counteract this, Tacoma Community college is working with their local housing authorities to offer federal rental assistance vouchers.  Also, a private developer in Tacoma is renovating some apartments near campus where he has already begun to open to homeless students.

HOPE is an academic organization which researches solutions for hunger and homelessness.  It’s founder, Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, reported some U.S. colleges are considering opening their parking lots at night, staffed with security guards, for homeless students who live out of their cars. The goal of HOPE is to continue to work toward U.S. students’ ability to gain the freedom to focus primarily on school, instead of  worrying where they will sleep each night.

For more information, visit https://hope4college.com/

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