Student Story: Congrats grad, you’re evicted

Story by J Wilson and Jasmine Carrillo. UNT Fall 2022.

Story by J Wilson and Jasmine Carrillo. UNT Fall 2022.

You get accepted to college, you sign your first lease, and then something unexpected happens. You lose your part time job. Your parents can’t support you financially. Your classes are getting more expensive and suddenly, the eviction notice is on your door.

Student evictions happen more often than people realize and are often under-reported and leave students left with few options. Approximately 46% of college students face some level of housing insecurity while attending school, according to a 2019 Real College survey.

For students like Laura Coate, a former University of North Texas student, the eviction notice came at the worst time.

“I literally could not afford to keep the lights on,” Coate said. “I was going to my friend’s house to charge my things and sleeping with the windows open because it was the hottest summer ever.”