hi, i need some advice for a friend of mine. he's 19 yrs old and has no place to live. he's enrolled in college but not to live on campus. he cannot afford that and the cost of college. i think he should go through boston housing authority, he has a part time job at the movie theater in boston. does any one have any advice for me onwhat to tell him he should do? he cannot live w/me as thre are very strict rules w/lynn housing.
He should call the college's housing department ASAP to let them know he has no place to live. They might be able to offer a temporary place to stay while he finds something else. Most colleges have an off-campus housing department where he could look up listings for roommates. He could also look in the newspaper or craigslist for roommates or rooms to rent. Good luck.
I know 'craigslist' sounds sketchy. But you never know. There always wanted situations on there. Maybe someone elderly who needs help around the house or something?
Hi R.,
When I lived in the Boston area I used The Boston Phoenix newspaper to find housing. He can look in the Roommate section. Also The Boston Globe if it still exists. He can place his own ad. I like the idea of living with an elderly person. He could trade his help to the elder with lowered rent, possibly. He could put ads in the bulletins of local places of worship, senior centers.
Good luck,
: ) Maureen
I sincerely doubt the housing authority will take him seriously. It's not intended for able bodied young men who can get a job. Furthermore, there are usually wait lists for housing, and they are not going to bump off indigent disabled people and mothers with children so a teenager can have a publicly funded apartment.
He needs to advocate proactively for himself. He's not a child. There are thousands of college students facing this particular dilemma every semester. He needs to do what they all do...advertise for room mates, get involved on the campus listserve looking for people in the same situation, and then get an off-campus apartment with other students with whom they can split the cost. I am sure his college has a housing department that works with students. He needs to call them.
Going to college is about being a grown up. If he got into school, he's obviously smart enough to figure this one out!
There was just a thing on the news last night about college students no longer being able to afford tuition, college housing,etc. Is he going somewhere that had housing? If he is my first place to start would be financial aid office and see if he qualifies for any grants to help if his parents don't want him living at home then there is a form that can get filled out at financial aid by his parents stating that he is responsible for himself and that he's on his own this will give him more financial aid and then he might be able to afford to be on campus. He could check w/housing authority just make sure he knows what a long wait he could have before something comes up that he can afford to live in. He could also look to see if theres anyone in the area looking for roommates I'm sure during this time there are people out there that need one.
