DCU SU joins city-wide 'digs drive' campaign
Dublin City University’s Students’ Union have joined colleagues from Trinity, UCD, NCAD and IADT for a campaign to encourage homeowners to rent out rooms to incoming students ahead of the start of the coming academic year.
Elected officers distributed flyers in Phibsborough, at the GPO, at Connolly Station, Pearse Station and Tara Street Station last week, asking homeowners who live near college campuses or near good transportation links to consider helping address the shortage of student accommodation.
Speaking about the accommodation shortage, DCU SU President Karl Ormsby said:
Our overall goal with the digs drive is to secure immediate and accessible accommodation for students in need. Many are forced to endure shocking living conditions for extortionate prices just to get an education. In my personal experience, I have known students who have slept in cars, attics, and even on campus due to the lack of action by the government to help students find accommodation. We urge anyone with a spare room to take action and come forward and help the generation of students who are deciding between a place to sleep or an education.
The DCU SU Vice President for Community & Citizenship, Brandon Perry, said:
As everyone is aware by now, we are in the middle of a housing crisis, with students being particularly hit hard. Through my role on DCU SU I have to deal with large amounts of case work from students who simply cannot find anywhere to live on a daily basis. Students are forced to commute massive distances daily or pay outrageous rents to live in shocking circumstances just in order to be able to attend university. Students' ability to devote themselves to their academics and to enjoy their personal lives have been massively eroded due to the constant stress of commuting or house hunting.
Due to the failure to create sufficient purpose built student accommodation, as we have personally seen in DCU with the further delay in starting construction on new on-campus accommodation, and existing purpose built student accommodation already reaching capacity far before the start of the academic year students are left with no other choice than looking on the private market, most often looking towards digs.
An increase in the number of digs available to students is the only immediately achievable answer to the student housing crisis. Through the act of renting a spare room out people have the chance to change a student's life for the better. I hope that those with the capacity to take a student into their home will please consider it as this is the only option available for a large portion of students in order to continue their education.
Homeowners can earn up to €14,000 tax-free from letting a room in their home, and those interested in renting to a DCU student can join the official DCU SU accommodation listing on dcustudentpad.ie.