BY AUBREY ENNIS / FULL360 CORRESPONDENT
The housing situation at Delaware Valley University has become a growing issue over the past few years among students. With increasing enrollment and limited residential space, students are facing challenges ranging from overcrowding rooms and being forced to room with more than the original amount of people. With the high cost of living in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, students are having no choice but to accommodate to these issues.
Students who live on campus have reported significant overcrowding and dorm housing more than students than their intended capacity.
“I wouldn’t say I’m stuck because I don’t mind my roommates, but there’s five of us in a space that’s supposed to be for four,” Tori Bockrath said.
The administration at Delaware Valley is aware of the issues, but solutions are limited. Unfortunately, expanding housing options is not an easy fix.
“It’s hard to just create housing. Short-term solutions aren’t a good investment—you spend a lot of money upfront for not a lot in return,” said DVU Dean of students, Timothy Poirier.
Instead, temporary fixes such as repurposing lounges, housing students in hotels, or increasing the number of triples or quads in dorms have been implemented. With limited on-campus housing, many upperclassmen consider moving off campus. However, the high cost of living in Doylestown presents its own set of challenges.
“In Doylestown, the cost of living is very high, and that makes it tough for students who want to move off campus,” Bockrath shared.
Additionally, off-campus living requires students to handle all aspects of renting, from bills to grocery shopping.
Poirier offered advice for students considering the situation with off-campus housing:
“Be careful about lease. I’ve seen landlords take advantage of students because they just don’t know any better.”
Another concern is that signing a lease binds all roommates to its term, making it difficult to leave if issues arise.
“When you sign that lease, you are beholden to it collectively with everybody else on it. There aren’t room changes like on campus,” he said.
Housing at Delaware Valley University operates under basic economic principles—when supply is low, demands rise.
“We just don’t have an off-campus student neighborhood like some other schools do,” Poirier states.
This issue pushed students to start searching for housing earlier than they might at other schools.
“Housing follows the basic principles of supply and demand. When supply is short, students feel pressured to start looking earlier,” he said.
Despite these challenges, university officials are actively looking for long-term solutions, though progress is slow.
“I’d like to have a little more control over the supply and demand calculus than we do right now,” says Poirier.
Given the current challenges, administration advises students to stay proactive.
“The best thing you can do as a student is do everything you have to do on time. Don’t wait. If you’re late, you’re at the end of the line, and the end might be full,” Poirier adds.
While the university works on long-term solutions, students must navigate the current system carefully. This is for students to ensure they secure housing early and understand their rights and responsibilities.
The housing crisis at Delaware Valley University is not unique, but its challenges are becoming more evident as enrollment continues to grow. Until sustainable solutions are in place, students must remain vigilant in planning their housing situations to avoid unexpected difficulties.