D.C. Students Protest Rising Campus Housing Costs
If you are planning a D.C. degree, rising housing and tuition costs make housing guarantees a key factor to check.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in College Life
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Students from four Washington, D.C. universities pitched tents in McPherson Square on Oct. 23 to protest the rising cost of student housing. The encampment, organized by Youth Progressive Action, drew around five participants from American University, Georgetown University, George Washington University and Catholic University.
Why it matters
Students in the city say housing and tuition have risen about 3 percent each year, and masters students at American University are not guaranteed housing, which raises the stakes for anyone budgeting for a D.C. degree. The protest came as Janeese Lewis George was elected D.C.'s first democratic socialist mayor on Nov. 3, putting student housing pressure in front of new city leadership.
An average double-occupancy room on American University's campus costs $13,112 per year, and D.C. housing and tuition prices have each risen around 3 percent annually. Masters students at American University are not guaranteed housing, so students in that program should confirm housing availability with the school before enrolling.
The players
Youth Progressive Action
A grassroots activist group that organized the McPherson Square encampment to press for affordable student and city housing.
Janeese Lewis George
The newly elected mayor of Washington, D.C., and the city's first democratic socialist mayor, elected Nov. 3.
American University
A private university in Washington, D.C., whose students joined the protest over on-campus housing costs.
Georgetown University
A private Jesuit university in Washington, D.C., whose students participated in the McPherson Square encampment.
George Washington University
A private university in Washington, D.C., whose students participated in the McPherson Square encampment.
The details
Activists from Youth Progressive Action organized the encampment to pressure newly elected council members and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) to address the shortage of affordable housing. Students held signs and chanted slogans at McPherson Square. Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau's office confirmed the group had shown up, and organizers framed the protest around the gap between rising campus costs and limited housing supply.
Timeline
Oct. 23: Students pitched tents in McPherson Square to protest housing costs.
Nov. 3: Janeese Lewis George was elected D.C.'s first democratic socialist mayor.
Nov. 9, 2026: An article about the McPherson Square encampment was published.
Education Landscape
The protest reflects a sustained pattern in which Washington, D.C. housing and tuition have each risen about 3 percent a year. Students are now turning that pattern into organized pressure on city officials at the moment new leadership takes office.
If you are considering a D.C. school, check housing guarantees and the on-campus room cost with the admissions or housing office before you commit, especially if you are a masters student. Ask the school's financial-aid office how housing costs factor into your total budget, since annual increases of around 3 percent compound over a multi-year program.
The takeaway
Campus housing is becoming a central part of the cost of a D.C. degree, so housing guarantees belong in your school comparison alongside tuition. Ask each school directly whether your program guarantees housing and what a double-occupancy room costs.
Further reading
For more on the daily realities of campus living, see College Life coverage of housing, dorms and student budgets.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Theeagleonline.
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Should D.C. loosen zoning rules to build more affordable housing?
