Modernizing Student Housing in Urban Communities: A Social Work and Public Health Perspective

Safe, accessible, and affordable student housing is vital for student success, influencing academic achievement, mental health, and community stability. Many urban colleges rely on substandard facilities that often fail low-income, first-generation, and minority students. This commentary argues that student housing should function as both a preventive health strategy and a means of promoting social justice. By examining mixed-use redevelopment models at Florida A&M University and Howard University, the paper demonstrates how design and collaboration-including social work advocacy-can create inclusive, health-promoting environments. Utilizing the Social Determinants of Health and Social Ecological Model frameworks, this discussion calls for interdisciplinary partnerships as essential strategies to advance equity and well-being in higher education.