San Jose State students sleep outside in solidarity with homeless peers

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) -
A group of college students  hoping to raise awareness about homelessness slept on campus Thursday night in an annual event at San Jose State University called “Poverty Under the Stars.” 

The university's Student Homeless Alliance is calling attention to what it considers a growing problem.
Costs of living both on and off campus are too high for many students – especially with skyrocketing rents.

The homeless alliance says numbers from the chancellor’s office indicates 4,300 students have experience homelessness in the past year.

Bahati Burgess, a 19-year-old SJSU sophomore, lives at a shelter across campus at Grace Baptist Church. “It’s easier, it's a lot easier. I'm right across the street from school. I don't have to worry where I'm going to sleep,” Burgess said. “I mean anything can help at this point. It's really a grim situation for a lot of people.” 

Scott Myers-Lipton, the student homeless alliance faculty advisor said it’s really hard for students.

“A single studio apartment at San Jose State for a month is $1,700. If they share, it's $1,100 or $1,200.”

The homeless alliance wants the university to provide more beds in the dorms for homeless students at least 60 days while they come up with a long-term solution.