A household of UC Berkeley students and alumni of Sigma Epsilon Omega, UC Berkeley’s only queer fraternity, launched a GoFundMe page Jan. 27 to help cover the household’s rent costs and monthly bills.
Sigma Epsilon Omega is based out of an “off-campus satellite house” that is normally rented out by 12 or more current and past members of the fraternity. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, residents typically used the bottom floor as a communal space for siblings and friends of the fraternity, according to Luca Giles, Sigma Epsilon Omega president. However, due to family obligations, as well as health and financial concerns brought on by the pandemic, the household has been having difficulty maintaining its capacity and is now only occupied by nine members.