About Us
Students sleeping outside, in cars and in campers, and with others in unstable and sometimes dangerous circumstances is a harsh reality. A survey of N.C. State students in 2017 indicated that almost 10% of students experienced homelessness in the prior year. That rate of homelessness climbed to 15% during the pandemic, a rate consistent with other U. S. campuses.
University housing is an option for students on some campuses, but there is not sufficient on-campus housing for everyone who needs it, and dorms are not affordable for many students. Some universities offer small grants in emergencies, but funds are minimal. Most students without homes use financial aid, take student loans, and work several jobs; but those funds don't stretch far enough in the expensive Wake County housing market.
HOST (Housing Options for Students Today) Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2022 that provides response programs for college students experiencing homeless and/or housing insecurity.
HOST's flagship program - the Host Home Program (HHP) - is a strategy to address housing needs without physical infrastructure. Because the Host Home Program requires no infrastructure investment, it is a cost-efficient model for addressing the short term housing needs of students.
How we got started
A group of students, experts, & advocates devoted two years to planning and launching the Host Home Program through a fiscal sponsorship with BWEL. In 2022, we set out on our own and became HOST -- a nonprofit organization in Raleigh, NC that offers the Host Home Program and other services and supports for local college students.
We Believe...
Every college student deserves an opportunity to thrive.
Every graduate is an asset to our community.
Our Programs
The HHP matches students who need short-term housing with hosts who provide a safe, private space in their homes. Hosts are trained and vetted thoroughly and receive ongoing support to ensure access to resources as well as training in boundary-setting, managing expectations, conflict mediation, & cultural responsiveness. Students prepare for long-term, stable housing with support from a highly trained and experienced Housing Navigator (case manager) while enrolled in the program.
HOST's program was designed with the support of Point Source Youth, a national leader in solutions to end youth homelessness with proven results. HOST is among the first host home programs specifically for college students in the U.S.
