To put it mildly, there’s nothing easy about finding housing in Berkeley. The absurdly high local rents are only ever coupled with dozens of other familiar housing woes — flaky roommates, rowdy neighbors, broken appliances. The list goes on.

While many struggle to find a perfect – or even decent – place to live, for hundreds of Berkeley residents, housing is entirely inaccessible. Homelessness is prevalent among students and nonstudents alike, and a lack of affordable housing can severely impact students’  ability to pursue higher education. While there are invaluable resources and alternative forms of housing available to meet the needs of students, it’s not always enough.

As a result, the ways in which we think about ideas of home can be unconventional, and no two housing experiences are quite alike, despite an undercurrent of relatability between them. So while the physical spaces we live in may be marred with obstacles, there’s something truly special about living in Berkeley — and we’re proud to call it our home.