SFSU Student Housing Insecurity and Homelessness Report FINAL

Student Housing Insecurity and Homelessness at San Francisco State University December 2019 Department of Health Education, Master of Public Health Students Andrei Torres Cesar Campos Emerson Shiang Fatima Farrukh Sultan Ilana Peterson Joaquin Meza Joseph Sweazey Meme Than Michaela Perez Nova Wilson Raymond Lum Rebecca Eiseman Tommy Le Principal Investigator and Faculty Jessica Wolin, MPH, MCP Department of Health Education Health Equity Institute Project Coordinator and BS Student Dylnne Gonzalez Health Equity Institute Health Promotion & Wellness, Division of Student Affairs Karen Boyce, LCSW Director Jewlee Gardner, MPH Assistant Director for Basic Needs Initiatives Introduction In higher education institutions across the country, within the California State University (CSU) system, and at San Francisco State University (SF State) there is a crisis of student housing insecurity and homelessness Due to the rising cost of attendance, increased costs of living, and reduction in federal financial aid, students are pursuing higher education while facing extreme financial burden Due to these factors, many students face the ongoing challenge of balancing educational expenses and are unable to cover the ongoing costs of housing which results in housing insecurity and even homelessness (Vogt & Leek, 2018) SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM Student homelessness and housing insecurity exist on a spectrum with students often moving between experiences due to changes in circumstances Students who are housing insecure face an array of issues such as frequent moves, the inability to pay rent or utilities, living in overcrowded conditions and staying temporarily with friends and family on couches (Goldrick-Rab et al 2019, Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017) According to the U.S Department of Education definition of homelessness, students who are homeless “lack a regular, fixed, and adequate nighttime residence” (Crutchfield & McGuire, 2018) They may sleep in their cars and live in spaces not fit for human habitation, such as parks or abandoned buildings, in shelters and in other short-term residences such as treatment facilities (Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017) National surveys show that rates of housing insecurity and Housing situations that may not remain fixed, regular and adequate Lacking housing that is fixed, regular and adequate Consistent, adequate and safe housing with consistent funding to cover expenses Stable housing but a recent history of housing instability within the past years Image 1: Housing Insecurity Spectrum Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017 homelessness amongst students is a pressing issue and that students are more likely to experience housing insecurity than to have all of their needs met while they attend college Research conducted in 2018 at 123 two and four-year institutions across the United States showed that 60% of students attending two-year institutions and 48% at fouryear institutions experience housing insecurity In particular, students from historically marginalized groups, including people of color, foster youth, first-generation, low income, formerly incarcerated and LGBTQ+ individuals face challenges finding and maintaining affordable, adequate and stable housing (Goldrick-Rab et al 2019) Several Federal policies seek to provide support for students experiencing homelessness However, they primarily focus on supporting people who are homeless before entering school and offer little for students who begin to experience homelessness in college and for those who experience housing instability California is no exception to this national phenomenon, and students enrolled in higher education in this state face a severe housing shortage, skyrocketing housing prices, and increasing costs of attending public higher education institutions A 2018 survey of 40,000 students at 57 California community colleges showed that 60% of respondents were housing insecure and 19% of respondents had been homeless in the previous year (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019) The University of California is currently researching students facing housing insecurity and homelessness, but previous reports indicate that approximately 5% of their college and graduate students have experienced homelessness (UC Global Food Initiative, 2017) In 2018, the CSU released one of the most significant and comprehensive studies of housing insecurity and homelessness amongst students, and it showed that almost 11% of student respondents had experienced homelessness during the past months (Crutchfield & McGuire 2018) STUDENT WELL-BEING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS It is well documented that students experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness suffer negative consequences in both their well-being and academic success These students are more likely to experience challenges to both their mental and physical health, which can manifest in increased anxiety, depression, and physical health issues including more sick and inactive days (Crutchfield & Maguire, 2018) Students struggling to maintain stable housing are more likely to have lower GPA’s and a higher level of academic concerns than their housing secure peers Twenty percent of college students who suffer from housing insecurity earned grades of C or below (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019) Factors contributing to these adverse outcomes include lack of a place to study, find privacy, store and prepare food, and get adequate sleep They also face technological barriers, as they may not have consistent access to computers or broadband or lack a secure place to store their computer (Vogt & Leek, 2018) “BASIC NEEDS” Student housing insecurity and homelessness fits into a context of student “basic needs” that also includes food insecurity and mental health These intertwined issues all play a critical role in student wellbeing and success Efforts to address student basic needs have grown significantly over the past decade despite the pervasive and long-held narrative of the “starving student” and the expected suffering of college students The State of California has passed and is considering several pieces of legislation that would increase financial resources and create policies and programs to better support students’ basic needs The CSU is closely monitoring these policies In 2015, the CSU established its Basic Needs Initiative with a systemwide Director of Basic Needs and Wellness hired in 2017 Since its inception, the CSU Basic Needs Initiative has supported the development of data collection and programming to address students’ basic needs In 2017, SF State formally initiated its basic needs work with the creation of a Basic Needs Committee to guide the campus’ approach to addressing student food and housing insecurity In 2018, Health Promotion & Wellness hired an Assistant Director for Basic Needs Initiatives, and the University was awarded $105,000 by the CSU through the SB85 Hunger-Free Campus Designation grant to address basic needs See Appendix A for a timeline of Basic Needs efforts at SF State Overwhelmingly, these efforts across the country, in the CSU, and at SF State have prioritized the issue of food insecurity, with food pantries and other emergency and long-term programs put in place The prioritization of food security has occurred for several reasons: the availability of government programs to support students (such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the availability of grant money, and the relatively straightforward nature of directly providing food to students There are few campuses or higher education systems that have taken on the challenge of addressing housing insecurity and homelessness amongst students At SF State, multiple programs have been put in place to increase student access to quality, nutritious food While these programs have made an essential and substantial positive impact on students, it is inescapable that for many students, living without the security of adequate and affordable housing comes at a huge personal cost and undermines their academic success, physical health, and mental wellbeing It is now time to look squarely at the issue of housing insecurity and homelessness experienced by SF State students and determine how best to address this complex and critical issue Methods In 2016, members of the SF State community came together to discuss students facing hunger and displacement Soon after, the CSU began to release information about the scope of these problems within the system, and in 2018 released the CSU Basic Needs Study, a comprehensive report on food and housing insecurity in the CSU This study provided the first detailed look at these challenges on all 23 CSU campuses, including information about students at SF State (Crutchfield & McGuire 2018) During this time, the SF State Basic Needs Initiative got underway with its first programs focused on food security At the same time SF State’s Health Promotion & Wellness staff, tasked with University’s Basic Needs response, clearly needed more in-depth information about housing insecurity and homelessness at SF State to inform new strategies and programs As a result, in 2018 Health Promotion & Wellness began a partnership with the Health Equity Institute (HEI) and Department of Health Education (HED) to conduct this Assessment of Student Housing Insecurity and Homelessness at San Francisco State University This assessment began in Fall 2018 with HEI/HED faculty and HPW staff meeting to determine its scope and methods At this time, faculty initiated a partnership with the Co-Principal Investigators of the CSU Basic Needs Study to ensure that SF State was building on previous research and furthering that work collaboratively Beginning in January 2019, the backbone of this assessment was a series of courses taught as part of the SF State Master of Public Health degree program that engages students in a 6-month community-based research project and professional practice The Community Assessment for Change course and Professional Public Health Practice support students to design and implement a community assessment collaboratively with a community partner In this case, the Assessment of Student Housing Insecurity and Homeless at San Francisco State University was a true CommunityBased Participatory Research project, as it is about students and by students at the University This assessment consisted of the following key methods: Academic literature review Review of studies conducted about SF State students Housing study conducted by Residential Life and Institutional Research, Spring 2019 First Year Experience study of non-returning students, 2019 Survey conducted by Professor K Eschelmann and graduate students enrolled in the Organizational Psychology program at SF State, Spring 2019 SF State Campus Climate Study, 2019 Review of SF State Academic Master Plan documents Additional analysis of the raw quantitative survey data from SF State students collected as part of the 2018 CSU Basic Needs study The CSU Basic Needs study surveyed students at all 23 CSU campuses, including SF State The sample from SF State is small at just over 1000 students but is a good representation of the population of the student body with demographics of the sample closely mirroring that of the SF State campus Additional analysis of qualitative data from interviews and focus groups conducted at SF State as part of the 2018 CSU Basic Needs study Semi-structured, qualitative interviews conducted by 13 SF State MPH and undergraduate student in Spring 2019 (See Appendix B for complete list) 28 SF State student leaders (students in official positions of leadership in Associated Students and or working in campus programs 27 SF State faculty and staff from departments and units across campus 21 External stakeholders including staff from the City of San Francisco, higher education institutions and community-based organizations All of the semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the SF State students analyzed the qualitative data collected They coded the data, identified themes, and then developed key findings and recommendations Data from the other sources were incorporated into the findings and recommendations and contributed additional learnings and ideas for action 10 Single Point of Contact/Housing Case Manager Researchers, faculty, staff, and students agree that a Single Point of Contact/Housing Case Manager for students experiencing housing insecurity is a critical step towards meaningfully addressing the issue and is a proven intervention Students should not have to discuss their housing status with numerous staff and search for who can help them Instead, one person well versed in programming, referrals, and how to support students is needed The University has hired an Assistant Director of Basic Needs The Assistant Director is an essential point person on campus that develops and coordinates all basic needs programming However, this role does not interface with students to resolve housing needs or address students in a housing crisis Both positions are necessary, and a student-facing Single Point of Contact/ Housing Case Manager needs to be hired and well-advertised to students and faculty, so there is clarity and efficiency in referrals and addressing student needs The student-facing Single Point of Contact/ Housing Case Manager should be well versed in City services and facilitate outreach by City supported programs that students can access In addition, the student-facing Single Point of Contact/Housing Case Manager should be able to help students’ access legal support to prevent eviction and resolve disputes with landlords in an effort to help students maintain their housing RELATED SFSU ACTIVITY Students experiencing a food or housing crisis can drop into the Dean-on-Call program to meet with a trained, SF State administrators and be connected with on-campus and community resources In addition, the San Francisco State University Basic Needs Initiative hopes to leverage new expanded Mental Health Case Manager services to provide ongoing case management support for students experiencing a housing crisis 50 Basic Needs Center/Commuter Lounge The University of California (UC) has prioritized the creation of a central location on every UC campus where students can access basic needs supports SF State should the same Researchers, students, and faculty believe a Basic Needs Center would be one of the most meaningful service interventions the University could provide Students desire a single location that would house the Single Point of Contact and provide a safe, comfortable and convenient space to spend time, store belongings, access resources, prepare food and even sleep This Basic Needs Center could also meet the needs of students with extreme commutes who are calling for the creation of a “commuter lounge.” A student leader advocating for more support for commuting students remarked, “I think this would be a top priority to create a basic needs lounge or commuter hub with resources, cooking and sleeping spaces I think that would be great for students, especially for those who commute You have to be here the whole day, and that can be exhausting, and that may discourage students from coming to classes.” 51 In addition or as a precursor to a Basic Needs Center, there are spaces on campus that could be used as is or renovated to meet the needs of housing insecure students and extreme commuters Student leaders recognize that students are using spaces in the library and resources such as the Mashouf Wellness Center to meet their needs to sleep and maintain hygiene Student Leaders also identified spaces and underutilized resources that can be leveraged to support students who are housing insecure One of the most consistently mentioned space by student leaders and staff was the Annex Other locations include Black Unity Center; Annex; Pyramid Room in Cesar Chavez Student Center; Vista Room Kitchen; Mashouf Wellness Center; J Paul Leonard Library Furthermore, faculty and staff recommended that until a Basic Needs Center is established all academic buildings on campus have a lounge space that could provide access to space for resting, cooking and storage of personal belongings Individuals that are housing insecure need a safe place to leave their belongings; otherwise, they must carry their belongings throughout their daily activities SF State can help alleviate this issue by providing lockers for commuter students Furthermore, showers in the gymnasium should be available for housing insecure students with extended hours of operation A map with all lounge and storage spaces is needed so that students know when and where they can access these resources 52 RELATED SFSU ACTIVITY The Basic Needs Hubs and Lounges Project is in development and will identify, expand, repurpose and promote existing physical and financial resources on campus that can support the basic needs of students facing housing instability and extreme commutes The Basic Needs Hubs & Lounges project will establish designated places on campus where students can comfortably and safely attend to their basic needs including spaces to rest, securely store belongings, attend to hygiene, store and heat food, charge devices, be connected to basic needs programs, supplies and resources, and find community in a welcoming and dignified space Safe over-night parking Students who are housing insecure may look to find all possible places to sleep, including in their car It is widely supported by student leaders and some faculty in the Academic Master Planning process that SF State should create safe, legal, and overnight parking Safe parking at community colleges (AB 302) is currently being amended at the California State Senate AB 302 will require Community Colleges to provide students a place to park their cars and sleep on campus (California Legislative Information, 2019) 53 “ The City of San Francisco is also supporting a safe overnight parking location However, there is also resistance to this strategy as it is seen as a less than ideal measure that is a short-term solution An external stakeholder remarked, “I think it’s kind of a BS band-aid, like why don’t you build a bunch of housing on that parking lot for your students? But it is an interim way that schools can support their students better You know, I would rather see them invest some significant money in providing the housing that their students need but if folks are living in their vehicles, we want them to be safe, access to the bathrooms, access to the gym showers.” RELATED SFSU ACTIVITY The Zen Den, launching Fall 2019, is a safe sleep program that provides scheduled space on campus to support students who are commuting long distances, experiencing housing insecurity and/or who need a safe space to sleep The Zen Den offers rest stations, and an environment conducive to sleep Early morning Zen Dens are offered in the Mashouf Wellness Center and afternoon Zen Dens are offered at Student Health Services Though this program provides students with safe sleeping areas while on campus, availability is limited This program could be expanded Emergency Housing by establishing a consistent and permanent place for students to rest while on campus 54 SF State needs to provide short-term housing services for students facing a housing crisis or homelessness Housing units should be set aside for temporary use by students in need There should be clear criteria for qualifying for this resource, and its use should be tied to intensive intervention to secure the student stable, affordable, and adequate housing Significant efforts should be made to be transparent about access to the program and to destigmatize its use The Single Point of Contact should serve as the gateway to these services RELATED SFSU ACTIVITY San Francisco State University’s Crisis Housing program is designed to support students experiencing an unexpected housing crisis and who have a plan and resources to resolve their current housing crisis The Crisis Housing Program aims to prevent homelessness by providing temporary housing to students on campus for up to 20 days Placements in the program rely on a formal application and approval process, and unit availability 55 Emergency Funds The current HOPE emergency fund to help students in a housing crisis should be made more accessible to students facing a housing crisis or in need of a housing deposit.Although the University does have an emergency loan program, it could be strengthened to better meet the needs of students facing a housing crisis or a need for funds to cover security deposits The nature of a housing crisis might be that a student has an urgent and immediate need for funds Requirements that students must pursue changes in financial aid or personal loans prior to submitting an application adds time and steps to a student stabilizing their housing situation Requiring students to be enrolled in the following term may be unrealistic for students who are considering dropping out due to financial hardships These requirements should be reconsidered, and the loan fund should be designed in partnership with students who are familiar with the needs of students facing housing insecurity RELATED SFSU ACTIVITIES SFSU Student Affairs administers the HOPE Fund that offers resources to students facing unexpected crisis situations and meet the following criteria: All current SF State students are eligible to apply for the Hope Crisis Fund; Can provide supporting documentation regarding the crisis situation; Have worked with Financial Aid to increase their award prior to HOPE Fund Loan application; Have explored personal loans prior to submitting a HOPE Fund Loan application; Are enrolled (full or part time) at the time of loan application and in good student standing (academic and disciplinary); If applying between semesters, have been enrolled during the previous term and are enrolled the following term 56 Conclusion SF State students facing housing insecurity and homelessness is one of the most pressing issues for the University The impact of this problem is felt by numerous individual students, by faculty in the classroom, in the broader culture on campus, and in markers of student success Faculty, staff, students, and City agencies are all calling for SF State to acknowledge and address the issue of student housing insecurity and homelessness The causes of this crisis are complex with some beyond the reach of the University However, there is much SF State can to ensure that all students have adequate, safe, and stable housing This effort will require substantial reflection, effort, and dedication of funds and people power, but is feasible and will have a lasting impact on student success From changing current policies that foster housing insecurity; to making on-campus and off-campus housing more affordable; to implementing programs that support students in a housing crisis – SF State can and should more 57 References AEHE, Ronald E Hallett, and Rashida Crutchfield Homelessness and Housing Insecurity in Higher Education: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Research, Policy, and Practice, AEHE 43:6 Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2017 “Affordable Housing Production | Bay Area Equity Atlas.” Accessed July 18, 2019 https://bayareaequityatlas.org/indicators/affordable-housingproduction#/ “Bill Text - AB-302 Parking: Homeless Students.” Accessed July 18, 2019 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_ id=201920200AB302 Caity Vogt “The Landscape of Student Housing Insecurity and Homelessness.” Campus Compact, 2018 Chen, Crystal “Zumper National Rent Report: August 2019.” The Zumper Blog (blog), August 1, 2019 https://www.zumper.com/blog/2019/08/ zumper-national-rent-report-august-2019/ Crutchfield, Rashida, and Jennifer McGuire “Study of Student Basic Needs.” California State University, January 2018 Crutchfield, R and McGuire, J Study of Student Service Access and Basic Needs, Office of the Chancellor, California State University, April 2019 Eschleman, Kevin “SF State Value Strengths Assessment,” 2019 58 “Extreme Commuting | Bay Area Equity Atlas.” Accessed July 18, 2019 https://bayareaequityatlas.org/indicators/extreme-commuting#/ Goldrick-Rab, Sara, Christine Baker-Smith, Vanessa Coca, and Elizabeth Looker “California Community Colleges #Realcollege Survey,” 2019 Goldrick-Rab, Sara, Christine Baker-Smith, Vanessa Coca, Elizabeth Looker, and Tiffani Williams “College and University Basic Needs Insecurity: A National #RealCollege Survey Report,” 2019 Office of Institutional Research, Housing Report, 2019 “SF AMP Question 2.Pdf | Powered by Box.” Accessed August 7, 2019 https://sfsu.app.box.com/s/xoimyhjydrvj36w0r05nbfhgyopxcrsg “SF State Academic Master Plan Reports,” 2019 Stolley, Kathy S., Diane E Hotaling, and Felecia Kiser “An On-Campus Homeless Shelter: A Case Study in Applied Sociology and Service Learning.” Journal of Applied Social Science 2, no (September 2008): 29–38 https://doi.org/10.1177/193672440800200204 “UC Global Food Initiative: Food and Housing Security at the University of California,” n.d., 66 Yoo, Grace “Student Who Left Survey,” 2019 59 Appendix A: SF State Basic Needs Timeline Event 60 Date Multiple campus partners working to support student basic needs including Associated Students, Health Promotion & Wellness, Sodexo, and Residential Life meet to discuss the impacts of foodinsecurity and housing instability at San Francisco State 2016 One month later, a California State University Chancellor’s Office report, Serving Displaced and Food Insecure Students, was published This report identified the scope of the problem, outlined CSU basic needsinitiatives and called upon all CSUs to create a plan of action to address student basic needs crisis 2016 The Vice President of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, Dr Luoluo Hong, formally established an Ad Hoc Advisory Work Group ‐ Responding to Food Insecurity & Housing 2017 The Ad Hoc Advisory Work Group releases, Report on the Ad Hoc Work Group: Responding to Food & Housing Insecurity, outlining food and housing insecurity at SF State and providing recommendations to address these issues 2017 The San Francisco State Basic Needs Committee was formally appointed 2017 Formal basic needs program began development and implementation based on recommendations of Basic Needs Committee 2017 San Francisco State is awarded $105,000 by the CSU through the SB 85 Hunger-Free Campus Designation grant to address basic needs 2018 An Assistant Director for Basic Needs Initiatives was appointed and housed within San Francisco State’s Health Promotion & Wellness department, charged with leading the University’s basic needs response and carrying out the recommendations of Ad Hoc Advisory Work Group 2018 A partnership is formed with the Health Equity Institute and Master in Public Health programs on campus to commission an assessment on housing insecurity at SF State Student housing insecurity programs continued to move through the development phase 2018-19 A multifaceted approach to responding to student hunger on campus was implemented 2018-19 Appendix B: Interviewees Semi-structured, qualitative interviews conducted by 13 SF State MPH and undergraduate student in Spring 2019 28 SF State students in official positions of leadership at the following organizations and others: Associated Students Project Connect Project Rebound Women’s Resource Center Legal Resource Center Black Unity Center DREAM Resource Center Guardian Scholars Health Education Student Association Health Promotion & Wellness Housing Business Office Mashouf Wellness Center Metro College Success Program Residential Life Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Commuter student advocates 61 27 SF State faculty and staff from departments and units across campus: Asian American & Pacific Islander Retention and Education Department of Athletics College of Business College of Ethnic Studies College of Health and Social Sciences College of Science and Engineering Division of Student Life Disability Programs and Resource Center Division of Enrollment Management Division of Student Life Division of Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning Housing, Dining, and Conference Services University Corporation 21 External stakeholders including staff from the following organizations: California Homelessness Youth Project City College of San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness De Anza College Human Rights Commission Humboldt State University John Burton Advocates for Youth Larkin Street Youth Services San Francisco Mayor’s Office San Francisco Mayor Office of Housing and Community Development San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing San Jose State University Skyline College University of California, Berkeley University of San Francisco 62 Acknowledgements San Francisco State University, Office of Institutional Research Emily Shindledecker, MS Health Equity Institute Jason Chang, MS Long Beach State University Rashida Crutchfield, EdD, MSW Co-Principal Investigator of the CSU Basic Needs Study Humboldt State University Jennifer McGuire, PhD, MSW Co-Principal Investigator of the CSU Basic Needs Study San Francisco State University, Health Promotion & Wellness Yancy Martinez Priyam Das, MPH Associate Vice President for Student Affairs 63 64 ... State students and little data that links housing insecurity and student success SF State does not regularly collect data about student housing insecurity and homelessness Most faculty and staff... costs of housing which results in housing insecurity and even homelessness (Vogt & Leek, 2018) SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM Student homelessness and housing insecurity exist on a spectrum with students... students at SF State, at the same time, student housing insecurity is normalized and at times minimized SF State faculty and staff are well aware that students are facing housing insecurity and