Cooper Housing Institute Awards $50,000 Grant to University of California, Santa Barbara

The Cooper Housing Institute has awarded the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a $50,000 grant. The grant will fund the Housing Voucher Program and Housing Advocate Program for students in financial and housing crises.

“It has become more important than ever for the Cooper Housing Institute to continue offering support to anyone struggling to afford housing,” said Cooper Housing Institute’s co-founder, Wilfred Cooper Jr.

“We support UCSB’s housing programs, and similar programs across the country, to help combat the rising threat of homelessness.”

The University of California, Santa Barbara, will allocate part of the funds to their Housing Voucher Program. This voucher program allows UCSB to rehouse and offer rent support to students suffering housing emergencies. This program is in place to assess the needs of students, identifying those who might be experiencing systematic financial difficulties so they can be directed to additional resources.

The remaining funds will be contributed towards their Housing Advocate Program. This program employs two undergraduate Housing Advocates who will represent students experiencing housing insecurity. The Housing Advocates are available to all UCSB students struggling to find affordable housing, and will assist students to find nearby housing, help them navigate leases, and connect students with additional resources and community housing programs.