Columbia’s rising rent has been hitting residents’ pockets, but some experts say none are more affected than families.
“Families with children are likely going to be impacted the most because they require more bedrooms,” Love Columbia program director Conrad Hake said. “Single households that are headed by a single parent are going to be impacted the greatest because they have lower earning capacity.”
Following Love Columbia’s announcement for donations to its rent assistance fund three weeks ago, the nonprofit has seen donations from the Veterans United Foundation and is discussing with the city about receiving American Rescue Plan Act funding, but the foundation will have to face a tall order with the rising cost of living.
“There are short-term causes and long-term causes,” Hake said. “One of the long-term causes is that with the housing recession in the mid-2000s, we’ve really had about 15 years of not enough building taking place over time.”
The lack of affordable housing has hurt Columbia children. Columbia Public Schools reported 615 students as homeless last year, and officials have noticed the effects it has on the children.
“Attendance can really be a big matter of if a family is moving around, doubled up from place to place, maybe I’m at a relative’s, I’m at a friend’s, I’m at a hotel, and then now the adult — the guardian — has to figure out how to get them back and forth to school,” CPS Director of Student Services Ranita Norwood said.
While CPS is required to provide bussing transportation and free lunch through the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, it’s a different issue once the students enter the classroom.
“Does that impact the student? Yes, it does,” Norwood said. “Did they have enough sleep the night before? Is there enough food after hours when they’re not at school? Those things can definitely impact academics.”
Norwood has been director of student services for eight years and said homelessness affects each classification differently.
“It may be the whole family that is experiencing homelessness and that student is not at home with their main family anymore, so they are maybe couch surfing,” Norwood said. “But as long as that student has someplace to lay their head, do their laundry, eat, be able to get back and forth to school, the older kids are adjusting.”
Norwood said the school’s goal is to help get younger siblings in the classroom so older siblings don’t have to stay home and take care of the child.
Even with the cost of living being high, Hake feels optimistic that Columbia residents will not only donate to the fund but help to push for more affordable housing in the city.
“It’s not just about ‘How does this impact me?’ Hake said. “But how does this impact our community at large.”