The Hidden Reality of Housing Insecurity Among College Students

College is often described as a pathway to opportunity—a place where students earn degrees, prepare for careers, and begin building their futures.

But for some students, pursuing that future happens without something many of us take for granted: a stable place to call home.

In a new episode of The Bells I Hear, host Alisa speaks with Amy Hawley Alvarez, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Teachers College, about housing insecurity among college students in New York City.

When Homelessness Is Hard to See

Housing insecurity does not always look the way people expect.

A college student may attend class, complete assignments, go to work, and participate in campus life while also couch-surfing, staying in a shelter, or moving between temporary places.

From the outside, their housing situation may be almost invisible.

But after class ends, that student may still be wondering:

Where will I sleep tonight?

Where can I study?

How long can I stay here?

Housing Is Part of Student Success

Conversations about college success often focus on tuition, financial aid, academics, and career preparation.

Those things matter. So does housing.

Trying to keep up with coursework while navigating unstable housing adds another layer of uncertainty to an already demanding experience.

If we want to understand what students need to remain in school and move toward graduation, housing stability needs to be part of the conversation.

Taking the Conversation Further

During the episode, Amy discusses her ongoing research into housing insecurity among college students and helps bring greater visibility to experiences that can easily remain hidden.

The conversation also offers a preview of an upcoming Promise Studios documentary that will explore the issue more deeply.

At Mentor A Promise, storytelling gives us an opportunity to do something important: listen.

To hear experiences that may otherwise go unnoticed.

To ask questions.

And to make room for conversations that deserve greater attention.

Listen to The Bells I Hear

A student can be working toward a degree while simultaneously searching for somewhere stable to live.

Both realities can exist at the same time.

Our latest episode of The Bells I Hear brings that experience into the conversation.

Listen to the episode, share it with your community, and help us bring greater attention to housing insecurity among college students.

— Mentor A Promise