‘Who are we building it for?’: Student union discusses rent hikes with C-U community
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Students are opening the conversation about the increasing cost of living in the C-U area. They took to downtown Urbana on Sunday to talk about the role they feel big companies in the area are playing in it, and what the community can do.
The Graduate Student Workers Union or GEO is encouraging the community to join them in the stand against what they’re calling predatory landlords and management companies.
“It’s like, well, you don’t want to advocate for housing to be built. This is helping. We’re building more. But who are we building it for?” asked Asha Sawhney, a Student Workers Union member.
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The union wants their neighbors in Champaign County to know they are being affected by the rent hikes.
“That’s kind of what prompted us mostly, was to kind of break down the myth that, you know, it’s the university versus everybody else,” Sawhney said, “and that there is room to build solidarity.”
They say what once was an affordable area is becoming more and more gentrified by the university, and that companies are building more student-focused luxury housing, but the additional buildings aren’t helping everyone.
“A bunch of luxury high-rises opening does bring down the prices for, say, the top 25% of renters. People with that kind of income. But it has no effect on us,” Sawhney said.
Members say most of them make less than 200% of the federal poverty level, meaning most of them are making less than minimum wage.
“I’ve moved four times since I started the program, and I’m in my fourth year, so I’m tired,” Sawhney said.
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They want landlords and companies to understand how it is impacting the surrounding community.
“We are put in spaces that are resource-deprived, meaning that there are very few livable wage jobs. Others really around are fast food and dollar stores, ” said Gus Wood, a Labor Education Program Professor.
This even trickles down to educational spaces for families in those areas. Wood suggests the money made off high rent prices should find its way back into the area.
“Because that money should be going back into the community to keep people here and create jobs where we can actually pay to afford to live in this area,” he said.
They say the most important step is the first one, and that’s organizing for better living conditions.
“I don’t want to move anymore. So I would like costs to not arbitrarily go up every year with no changes being made to where I’m living,” Sawhney said.
The GEO encourages everyone to learn more about the rental increases in the area so they are aware of what’s going on around them.
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