Politics
Velferdstinget arbeider politisk opp mot samskipnaden (Sit), kommune og stat for å sikre at din hverdag som student blir best mulig.
Housing
Student housing provided by Sit is intended to have affordable rent and contribute to keeping prices in the private market down. Measures will be taken to prevent vacancy in student housing. The municipality has a responsibility to ensure increased student housing construction by exempting Sit from property tax and providing land support.
Velferdstinget believes
It is important that students have a safe and affordable place to live. The Student Welfare Organization, the host municipalities, and the state must work to ensure that the housing provided by the student welfare organization covers 20% of the need in Gjøvik, Ålesund, and Trondheim, respectively.
We work towards
Equal right to housing
Increase in the housing offer for students
Environmentally friendly housing
Affordable dormitories
Financing of student housing
The Welfare Council believes that the current financing model for student housing is outdated. There is a need to provide greater subsidies for rehabilitation to ensure that student housing maintains a high standard. Additionally, the cost framework must be increased to align with overall market prices. The subsidy proportion for student housing should be set at 49%, allowing the state to cover the majority of the costs while the student welfare organizations still own the properties. This ensures optimal student involvement. It is crucial that measures taken for more efficient and sustainable student housing management do not result in increased rental costs for students.
Prioritization of tenants
First-time students, students with disabilities, and students with children should be given priority for student housing. Vacancies due to international students are undesirable when the financial consequences are borne by other students residing in student housing. The Welfare Council supports the importance of internationalization but still believes it is not fair for students living in student housing throughout the year to bear the costs of educational institutions' desire for exchange students. Therefore, the Welfare Council proposes the establishment of an internationalization grant and advocates for more bilateral agreements.
Design and placement of student accommodation
The construction of student housing should be future-oriented and have a sustainable profile. They should be of high quality, connected to good common areas, meeting places, and outdoor spaces that encourage activity and interaction among students. Student housing should be located close to campus, universally designed, and closely linked to a good public transportation network. The Welfare Council sees it as positive that areas are allocated for student housing construction on the educational institution's grounds, provided it does not compromise green spaces, and we believe that market prices should not be demanded for such plots/buildings. Student housing on campus is crucial for achieving urban campuses, with increased activity beyond lecture hours.
