An increase in enrollment at Maine's community colleges has motivated lawmakers to consider the possibility of offering on-campus housing at the schools.

On-campus housing isn't common at community colleges, but there's an increasing trend toward it around the country. A proposal introduced by Democratic Rep. Daniel Hobbs of Wells would direct the Maine Community College System to study providing housing on its campuses.

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Enrollment in Maine's community colleges is up 12% since the state created a free tuition program. That has brought with it a greater demand for housing in an increasingly expensive rental market, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said on-campus housing "should be more accessible to all students, so that finding off-campus housing is not added to the list of challenges students already face."

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Maine's community college system has seven colleges and serves about 17,000 students.

Finding living arrangements has become a struggle for many college students around the country due to rent hikes and housing shortages.