To the editor:
For students and local residents, housing is a necessity that underscores our daily lives, affecting how we build relationships with the people and places around us. Especially for students at Ohio University, housing is a conscious choice that changes every year. As such, we can take steps to actively change the housing landscape in Southeast Ohio if we look at building homes as acts of public service.
This fall, OU is collaborating with Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio. Throughout October and November, local volunteers, students and members of the organization are invited to build a single-family home on OU’s campus. Once finished, the house will be transported to serve a family in Ross County, Ohio.
This is a new opportunity for Ohio University and its partners. The house will be the inaugural campus build to be entirely completed on campus – from external structure to internal wiring. It will all be done on-site, at the university.
The first on-campus event is the Wall Build service project 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Oct. 3, to construct the home’s walls. Community members are invited to participate in hands-on work that directly meets the region’s housing needs; no construction experience is required.
According to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the change in housing stock in the state increased by 2.02% from 2019 to 2024 but only increased by 0.13% in Southeast Ohio over that time. Despite consistent housing needs, there are fewer homes made available to families in the region.
Other parts of the state are outpacing Southeast Ohio when it comes to affordable housing development. However, this region has similar needs that simply aren’t being met when it comes to construction and revitalization.
Those problems persist in Athens. Students at OU experience the tight housing squeeze when they apply for on-campus living, and they sometimes struggle to get leases when they leave the dorms. This is not only a challenge for students but for local residents who need somewhere to live too.
That’s why events like the Bobcat Build require service from all Athens residents. With your participation, we can create a region that opens access to good housing for everyone. Housing for our neighbors does not operate in a vacuum – it takes consistent effort. That’s where public service comes in: It’s about showing up.
Countless people and perspectives are a requirement for meeting complex housing needs in this region. Partnerships like the one with Habitat for Humanity are essential, and partnerships with local residents are as important.
That’s why the Bobcat Build will continue to rely on the participation of OHIO and Southeast Ohio communities. Students and residents are encouraged to attend the campus-wide Wall Build service project, participate in the on-site Kick-Off event on Friday, Oct. 23, or sign up throughout October and November to volunteer.
Housing is hope, and helping out one neighbor helps us all.
For more information about specific volunteer dates, we encourage readers to visit OU’s Bobcat Build website.
Aiden Ryan
Environmental Research Scholar at the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service
Athens, Ohio