Crisis met by emergency housing

Lund University students’ own housing association is taking in students in record numbers with a new webpage and last-minute housing at day care centers with 15 seats. Next up: paying full-time for mediators.

Once again, a record number of students are expected to start in Lund this fall, and, once again, many are in danger of studying without proper housing accommodations. To take care of this problem, the cooperative for the student unions‘ second-hand organization, Bopoolen.nu, has implemented a reconstruction of the homepage, while they are also starting this year with an emergency housing area, due to open on Tuesday.

The housing area is funded by the city and the university is contributing with beds. This will be open through the month of September, but will only have room for up to 15 people.

International Students worst off

Bopoolens Tova Bennet says she does not know exactly how many students are expected to lose living accomodations.

– But I have definitely been feeling more pressure this year compared to last year, says Tova Bennet of Bopoolen, who also campaigns for Lund’s residents to lend their homes temporarily for incoming internationals.

– Among the international students, roughly half of them receive help with housing via the International Housing Office. Between 800 and 1000 students will have to find somewhere to live on their own. I can imagine that some will be here an entire semester without a real place to stay, says Tova Bennet.

Investing in long-term solutions

Projects meant to accommodate students beyond the emergency housing accommodations are also underway. Along with the city of Lund and the university, Lund University’s student unions have, during the spring, negotiated an expansion of Bopoolen’s housing accommodations.

– A decision has yet to be reached, but the offer that’s we are currently considering mean, among other things, that one person will work full-time at Bopoolen, explains Emma Jungmark, vice president of the student union cooperative.


How does full-time pay improve the housing situation? 


– This will provide the opportunities to come out and meet more of the landlords and allows for us to work on a long-term basis, says Jungmark.

If the offer comes through, an expected rearrangement will begin at the end of the year, and will hopefully show some results according to Lus (Lund’s Student Union Cooperative).

Should the university invest more in housing accommodations? 


–  Earlier, local laws have been in the way for the housing project on the university’s end. However, now there are more plans laid out for the project in the starting blocks, finishes Emma Jungmark.

translation: An Holmqvist

text: Sara Bengtson