2022-2023 Initiatives: Affordable Student Housing

Status: In-Progress

Point of Contact(s): Exita Lealofi

The incredibly high cost of housing in Tacoma and neighboring cities has led to an influx of students looking for methods to afford housing. ASUWT intends to put together a proposal that will provide UWT students affordable housing close to campus through community partnerships and financial aid assistance.

Exita has established quarterly goals to get this program off the ground. She identified autumn quarter to be the research quarter to "find who to collaborate with to get the ball rolling to create a proposal to make it happen". Exita intends for Winter quarter to be the "hows" with plans to get a proposal written, with Spring being the quarter to finish up and execute the proposal.

November 7th Update:

Exita will be meeting with the university's Chief Strategy Officer Joe Lawless to discuss proposal creation and funding options. Exita has also identified that she intends to meet with the financial aid office, office of advocacy and support, as well as local housing authorities to explore options for funding affordable housing for students. 

November 17th Update:

Upon meeting with Joe Lawless, Exita has determined that the route involving local housing authorities would not be the best avenue to take for achieving affordable housing for students. There are still plans in the works to meet with the financial aid office and the office for advocacy and support to determine if a collaboration is possible. 

Exita was also informed that the KOZ apartments, who has historically provided affordable housing to UWT students, has decided to discontinue their partnership with the university. Exita intends to discover why and determine if that has any impact on future community partnerships.

November 28th Update:

Joe Lawless has invited Exita to join the "Housing Workgroup", a committee that comes together to discuss new housing proposals on campus. This committee strictly discusses campus-funded initiatives rather than community partnerships. Exita intends to advocate for student needs on this committee by advocating for financial aid collaborations to make student housing affordable as well as ensuring students have options for privacy in their student housing

Exita has identified that getting connected with the financial aid office on campus has been difficult due to scheduling limitations. She still intends to get into contact with the office to determine if a collaboration is possible.

In regards to the last update, Exita is unsure as to why KOZ apartments has discontinued their partnership with UWT. However, Exita theorizes that the recent rise inflation may be the cause.