Some UBC students could be hard-pressed to find on-campus housing

For some UBC students,the dream of decorating their first college dorm room this fall could be replaced by the nightmare of trying to find affordable housing in Metro Vancouver's competitive rental market.

Nearly 6,000 students areon a waiting listfor on-campushousing. With classes beginning in just over two weeks, manywillhave to seek alternatives off-campus.

The universityhasset aside$450 million to invest in housing options for students between2015 and 2020, according toAndrew Parr, the university's managing director of student housing and hospitality services.

Parr toldhost Gloria Mackarenko of CBC'sOn The Coastthat 1,048 beds are "brand new and opening this fall.

"The campus plan has actually set aside land on the campus to build up to 16,500 beds, so we are in the midst of making that development happen," he said.

UBC says 12,500 of those beds are planned to be in place by 2020.

Long waiting list

Parr explained the waiting list is long because many students wantto enhance their overall university and student experience by living on campus.

Parr said rents for on-campus housingare affordable when compared with Vancouver's rental market and campuses in other Canadiancities.

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"We do look at our rents that we charge on campus against the neighbourhoods in Vancouver," said Parr, who noted campus rents are at or below market prices.

Despite Vancouver's expensive housing market, UBC housing prices are the eighth highest nationally when compared with other major universities, according to Parr.

In past years, Parr rememberedstudents living onsailboats and in vehicles to cut housing costs.

He wants students who are considering similaralternatives this September to reach out to the university for support to ensure they are sleeping in safe locations.

With files fromOn The Coast.

To hear the full audio, click on the link labelled Student housing shortage at UBC campus.