On campus housing will be scarce for the 2017-2018 academic year, according to Housing and Residential Communities, a division of Student Affairs. The number of available spots on campus is expected to decrease, while the number of incoming freshmen is expected to increase. Since freshmen are required to live on campus, there will be fewer spaces for upperclassmen.
Students have the option to live off campus through HRC which has contracted 80 spaces at The Lofts at City Center. The rate for a 4 bedroom/4 bathroom apartment at The Lofts will be the same rate as a room in an on-campus suite style dorm for the 2017-2018 academic year. Spaces at The Lofts through HRC will be charged to Student Accounts per semester. The contract for these spaces will run from August until May.
HRC offers off-campus resources to help students find a suitable place to live that are not owned by the University. On their off campus resources website, students can search for apartments based on price and size. The website has listings ranging in price from $335-800 per room. A roommate finding service is also available on their website for students who make an account.
Students noted that there were some positive aspects about the new housing change.
“In terms of convenience and price, off campus [housing] is hella cheaper and not nearly as inconvenient as it might first seem,” said Caleb Sokol, a sophomore in New College living off campus.
However, others noted the cons.
“Off campus housing is definitely a lot cheaper,” said Joe Gallagher, a sophomore math major living off campus, “but waiting for the bus every day is inconvenient and commuter parking is terrible without being cheaper than residential parking.”
There are some exceptions that allow certain upperclassmen to live in campus housing facilities. This housing is limited to students with scholarships requiring that they live on campus, students who must live on campus for a university purpose and students who have a medical need requiring on campus housing.
More information on both on campus and off campus housing is available at housing.sa.ua.edu.
