Wollongong's rental crisis: Students call for urgent action

The students and concerned community members say there's a lack of affordable accommodation on campus and in nearby suburbs.

Among them was student Owen Marsden-Readford who said the national Get a Room campaign and protests are calling on change.

"Over the past year, renters have paid an extra $7 billion to their landlords as the rental crisis shoots up and up, but wages and welfare don't," he said.

"On campus accommodation's a bit of a trap. A whole bunch of rooms start at $270 to $280 a week, much higher than in the private rental market, but students think it's the only option because that's how the university promotes it.

"The University of Wollongong's a bit of a dodgy landlord in this situation, profiting off the fact that students need to live near where they study."

Mr Marsden-Readford said he hopes the protest will encourage people who are angry about this to "push back against the interests big business and corporations and the government and landlords".

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Third year student Jamie Caufield said her rent has almost doubled in the last year.

"While searching for new roommates it is very apparent how increasingly desperate some people are," she said.

Ms Caufield said some of her prospective roommates had been living in a hotel for the almost a month.

"International and domestic students who have just moved to Wollongong, found that there is actually nowhere to live and the few places there are [are] extremely competitive," she said.

The students tried to enter UOW's administration building, however its doors were locked.

UOW issued a statement to the Illawarra Mercury which said it was committed to supporting students and to helping those searching for suitable accommodation.

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"This year, to help students meet the cost challenges of moving to a new location to begin their studies, we also started a number of new scholarships. More than 1500 undergraduate scholarships were offered to domestic students starting in 2023," the statement said.

UOW said it had 2288 student beds in seven sites and is close to capacity, but there will be some movement still as students make final decisions on their study plans.

"Students on the accommodation waitlist have been receiving offers as rooms become available, with the vast majority being offered a room apart from those waiting for couple and family accommodation," the UOW spokesman said.

"Given the high demand for student accommodation, earlier this year we negotiated an agreement with an external provider to offer an additional 84 beds to students."

UOW urged community members who have a spare granny flat or room to consider joining its Homestay and Study Stays programs to rent their space to a student.

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