University of California Strike: Why Berkeley student workers struggle to find safe and affordable homes

Diego Villegas had no illusions that leaving Mexico City to pursue a graduate degree at University of California-Berkeley would be easy. But he was unprepared for the harsh reality of finding safe and affordable housing in a college town struggling to accommodate its growing student population. After a faulty air conditioner set fire to his first rental, Villegas slept on couches for months while frantically searching for a new place to live. The school helped by getting him into scarcely available student housing, but he could barely afford the cramped studio apartment. He’s since moved to a ...