Homelessness and Food & Housing Insecurity among College Students: Third Wave

For the third time since 2017, undergraduate and graduate students at this large southeastern US university participated in a survey about their experiences with food and housing security, their use of basic needs resources on campus, and their general wellbeing. The results indicate a consistent, notable increase in rates of food and housing insecurity among our students. In 2017, survey rates of food insecurity (15%) and homelessness (9.5%) were alarming. These figures prompted sizable financial support from individual donors and responses from university units. However, student need spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 2020 rates of student food insecurity and homelessness climbing to 23% and 15% respectively. Since the original study in 2017, dedicated groups within NC State have worked to address basic needs insecurity by providing direct resources to students, increasing collaboration with on- and off-campus partners, and striving to achieve a campus environment in which all students have access to nutritious food and affordable housing. Despite this flood of basic needs resources available to students from 2020 to the present, our students continue to face basic needs insecurity at disconcerting rates. In 2023, student food insecurity grew to 30%. While rates of homelessness remained stable at 14%, 11.3% of students also experienced housing insecurity. Of the students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, 6.9% relied on temporary housing, such as staying with friends; 1.9% resided in hotels or motels without permanent housing to return to; and 2.0% lived in outdoor spaces, such as overpasses, bus stops and alleyways. Importantly, students experiencing food and housing insecurity were more likely to also face poor well-being. Part 2 of this report provides a set of recommendations for the university to address these ongoing challenges.