Noa Schwartz

My current lease ends in August and after having constant roommate problems, I’m ready to live by myself. 

However, I’ve noticed how difficult it is to find a one-bedroom apartment or even a studio here that has a lower monthly rate than at least $1,000. On top of this, I have a cat and it’s been difficult to find somewhere in Eugene that allows pets unless I get her ESA approved. 

Has it always been this difficult to find student housing in Eugene that accommodates certain lifestyles?

In an interview with KVAL-TV, Jacob Fox, executive director of Homes for Good Housing Agency urged for more low to middle income housing to be built in Lane County.

“A recent study that was commissioned by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce shows that rents have actually gone up by 37% in three years,” Fox said.

Economic uncertainty in Eugene seems to be a big influence in how the market affects local residents. Additionally, it doesn’t help that the evident housing crisis and shortage of available units adds to the difficulty of finding a home.

UO junior Izzy Jurien on this matter discussed the high prices’ intertwined with the notion that housing near campus will often be pricier than housing in different areas of Eugene.

“I don’t think rent should be this expensive, and I know housing prices are much more expensive the closer you get to campus. It’s difficult to find somewhere cheap with the right utilities or even nearby resources like a laundromat if you don’t have an easy means of transportation,” Jurien said.

Some housing properties will charge for utilities even without providing expected amenities like in-unit laundry. Instead, they will offer coin operated shared-laundry that adds more to costs while also still charging for electricity, water and other utilities. The apartments that I have seen so far that are my best options seem to align with these practices including those under AG Campus Housing and Emerald Property Management. At the end of the day, these costs add up and make it much more difficult to find affordable housing.

UO junior Myka Briggs discussed her struggle in navigating the constant increase in rent over the years. 

“I’ve moved every year of college because of annual rent increases. Every year it becomes more challenging to find an affordable place to live,” Briggs said. 

According to Zillow, the average rent price in Eugene is $1,660. This suggests that more likely or not, a renter in Eugene will have to pay this price. Briggs went on to discuss having to share a bathroom in a four or five bedroom accommodation with rent still being over $900, below the average rent price.

“With these rates, anything affordable is signed right when it’s put on the market, making it really challenging to find apartments or houses within a reasonable price range,” Briggs said.

As the trend of increasing rent continues in Eugene, students will have to keep up with the rising costs put in place by an expensive housing market.