Housing Shouldn’t Block a Degree: Beatty, Landsman and Nunn Reintroduce Campus Housing Affordability Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Congressman Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), and introduced bipartisan legislation to help low-income students pay for college campus housing.

Nearly 50 percent of all college students face housing insecurity. To ensure there is less of a barrier to entry, Congresswoman Beatty, Congressman Landsman, and Congressman Nunn have introduced the bipartisan Campus Housing Affordability Act. The bipartisan legislation will allow students to use Section 8 vouchers to pay for campus housing.

Currently, college students cannot use HUD's Housing Choice Voucher (also known as Section 8) program to pay for campus housing. The bill would let the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) waive certain requirements so more students have access to on-campus living.

"Low-income students are less likely to attend college and graduate as it stands. This critical legislation makes it easier for students across all economic backgrounds to secure campus housing, live among their fellow students, and forge their own academic future. Education is a pillar of the American Dream - yet, there are far too many hurdles that keep students from achieving academic success. I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to remove barriers for underserved students, putting that dream within reach," Congresswoman Beatty.

"We can make college way more affordable, and this bill does that for countless Americans. In fact, this will be transformative for students who have been historically left out and marginalized. Campus housing is an enormous expense for students, and our bill eliminates that expense for students who are eligible for a housing vouchers," said Congressman Landsman.

"College should be about learning and earning a degree, not worrying about where you're going to sleep at night. Housing insecurity undermines academic success, increases the risk of dropping out, and puts a higher education out of reach for too many students. This bipartisan bill gives every student a fair shot at success-regardless of their background or ZIP code," said Congressman Nunn.

Read the full bill text here.

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