Ariana Rodriguez | Staff Writer
From pushing all upperclassmen out to off-campus housing being borderline unaffordable it’s clear to see that FIU has a serious housing issue with no real resolution.
The housing dilemma has been prominent since late 2022, and it seems the only option is to be number 300 on a waitlist or sign a ridiculously expensive lease.
The crisis can be traced back to a combination of greed and budget cuts, creating an environment where both on-campus and off-campus housing become increasingly unattainable for students.
As the cost of living on campus gets higher, FIU receives more money from freshmen since they are more likely to return. Because of that FIU pushes out their upperclassmen to make more room and more money.
The most prominent challenge students encounter when dorming is trying to secure a spot in the first place. The growing student population, coupled with budget constraints, has led to a scarcity of on-campus accommodations.
Notably, almost all dorms have been shifted into first-year housing. Lakeview South and Everglades Hall was formerly for second years, however, that has since changed. Now, second years have University Towers and Tamiami Hall, which was formerly for upperclassmen.
So what do upperclassmen get? University apartments, which can only house 537 residents.
There is definitely more than 537 upperclassmen who desire housing but FIU’s solution is to put these students on a never-ending waitlist which they can view through their portal. I’m number 326!
Even though other alternatives exist for students, they’re off-campus housing options where you “only” have to pay a $1850 monthly rate for a one bedroom. Or if that’s too much, $1445 to share with a roommate.
As someone who opted for the $1600 a month studio, the fees significantly raise the price. Spanning from a convenience fee when using a credit card to a landlord fee which brings the price up to $1770 a month.
The prices for off-campus alternatives are borderline financial abuse. Limited availability and rising costs force many students to seek off-campus housing, perpetuating the cycle of price gouging and housing insecurity.
FIU’s housing nightmare is coupled with greed within the real estate market, particularly in South Florida. Investors and property developers, driven by profit motives, are capitalizing on the demand for student housing. The result is skyrocketing prices, making it increasingly difficult for students to afford housing options near the university.
Housing around FIU have become a battleground for bidding wars among students. Landlords, aware of the high demand and limited supply, seem to be exploiting the situation by inflating rental prices. This leaves students with limited choices, often forcing them to compromise on living conditions or bear the burden of exorbitant rents.
The struggle for affordable accommodation negatively impacts students’ well-being and academic success. To alleviate this crisis, a comprehensive approach involving policy changes, increased funding, and holding FIU accountable is necessary.
Only through addressing the root causes can FIU hope to provide its students with the secure and affordable housing they deserve. If an influx of housing appears, the value will go down causing lower rental rates, which is what students need.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
The real solution is for FIU to build more on campus housing. Tamiami Hall is a good start, but with a student population of 50,000, FIU needs a lot more student housing. There’s many surface parking lots that have adjacent underused parking garages that could be converted such as Lot 9, or Lot 5.