ISU students and the Ames community sometimes have a rocky relationship. This surfaced after the Veishea riots and can be seen in some of the city ordinances. I think the blame, in part, lies with the students.

It is very easy to live on or near campus and go about your daily activities within the bounds of Iowa State. Thus, it is very easy to ignore the issues and problems in Ames. For example, many students may not know that there is significant homelessness and poverty in Ames.

Every year families are evicted from their homes because they can’t pay the rent. These aren’t dead-beat, parents either — these are hardworking people who just can’t find decent-paying jobs. The lowest available rent in Ames is astronomically higher than anything affordable by even a two-parent household earning minimum wage. Often times rents are raised higher than families can afford because the property owners find students who are willing to pay more. In fact, the recent “no more than three unrelated people” city ordinance is an attempt to force property owners to let families back into the market for homes. Students, on the other hand, only viewed this as an attack on them and their living status. This lack of mutual understanding weakens our community.

You can turn a blind eye, but homelessness in Ames affects all of us. Whether you have met some homeless people while volunteering around Ames or just seen the men collecting cans and living in tents, you’ve experienced it. It is time for ISU students to stop ignoring the Ames community and work together with them to address issues that affect us all.

Laura Riley

Senior

Animal Science