Photo Roelof Kleis The Municipality of Wageningen is launching a campaign encouraging residents to take in a student. The campaign focuses not only on Wageningen itself, but also on the surrounding municipalities. Homestay offers a solution to the housing shortage among students at the beginning of the new academic year.
According to the municipal council’s spokesperson, Myronne Heckmann, the expected shortage of student accommodation is no greater than in previous years. ‘But living space in Wageningen is limited, and we want to do all we possibly can.’ A poll by Resource during the 2022 AID revealed that a quarter of first-year students who wanted to live in Wageningen did not yet have a room. This accommodation shortage usually resolves itself over the course of the academic year.
Loneliness
According to alderman Marije Eleveld (Housing), the campaign is intended to inform people about the possibilities and advantages of temporarily renting out a room. Those advantages include extra income for the host and a way to combat loneliness. For students, a temporary room is a stepping stone to a permanent rental with, for example, the housing association Idealis.
Living space in Wageningen is limited, and we want to do all we possibly can
Myronne Heckmann, municipal council’s spokesperson
For this campaign, the municipal council is partnering with Hospi Housing, a nationwide organisation that reconciles supply with demand for rooms in people’s homes. Hospi Housing charges the tenant 295 euros if a successful match is found. The host pays nothing for the mediation and information. The collaboration between the municipal council and Hospi Housing will run for two years.
Social media
The campaign will be conducted mainly through social media channels, according to the municipal council. Hospi Housing will start working on this over the coming week. Besides Hospi Housing, other (smaller) organisations are also actively involved in the housing market for students. The website of Idealis, the largest lessor of student units, lists a whole range of options.
