Housing is a troubling topic in Eugene for everyone as it is, but there has been a rise in the implementation of student luxury housing in the city that needs to be addressed. Several years ago, Eugene permanently closed its only hospital and emergency room, and with that, another luxury student housing company is already preparing to build there.

In Eugene, one estimate said campus-area rentals had a 8.25% vacancy rate in fall 2024, more than double the city’s overall housing vacancy rate around the same time. We have an abundance of high-cost housing, but little for students that no longer meet the requirements for on-campus housing. It appears as if we are appealing only to students that come from out of state with funds in their pockets, while we neglect our own population.

Affordable housing should be a top priority for the city. It keeps people off the streets, and the stability ensures our students don’t need two part-time jobs to support themselves, which limits their ability to succeed academically. As an incoming freshman myself at the University of Oregon, I cannot afford the housing available off campus, and on-campus housing is nearly as expensive, adding around $15,000 to an already high tuition. I’ve also watched my own family struggle to find affordable housing as nonstudents, since apartment vacancy is so low.

The best solution is to focus on affordable housing development. Higher education institutions should also have the responsibility to advocate for students, provide resources and promote affordable housing development in Eugene.

Lee Sunderland
Senior, North Eugene High School
Eugene